Explosion at Amsterdam restaurant; third explosive in two days
An explosive went off in front of the Marovaan restaurant on Johan Huizingalaan at around 1:50 a.m. on Wednesday morning. No one was injured, the police said. This is the third explosive on an Amsterdam street in two days, and the third incident on Johan Huizingalaan in four days.
According to the police, the explosion damaged a bus shelter and the front door of the building. "We are urgently looking for witnesses", the police said on Twitter.
On Tuesday morning shots were fired at cleaning company HBS on Johan Huizingalaan. When the police went to investigate, they found an explosive behind the building. It was a hand grenade, according to Het Parool. Mayor Femke Halsema decided to close HBS indefinitely, saying that the shooting and grenade had a major impact on public order and the feeling of security. On Sunday morning the building next to HBS was shot at.
The police also found an explosive at the front door of a building on Jan Evertsenstraat in Amsterdam-West on Tuesday morning. A hand grenade was tied to the door of soon-to-open lunch room Tropicana, according to Het Parool.
These are not the first hand grenades left at Amsterdam businesses. In February a grenade was found tied to the door of a shop on Jan Evertsenstraat. Hand grenades were also found at club ABE, cafe In the City and cocktail bar Suzy Wong Lounge this year and last.
