Reopening of the café of the Ede hostage-taking a great success

The reopening of Café Petticoat in Ede, where a hostage-taking took place last week, has gone "exactly as the staff had hoped." This is according to the contact person for the victims, who said the victims "were given the space to - as they call it - do their thing."

In advance, the café's employees had asked guests not to ask them how they were doing. According to the spokesperson, that request has been complied with. "If you didn't know what happened last week, you wouldn't have noticed." The four employees who were held hostage for hours during the hostage situation already gathered in the cafe earlier this week. The incident and the media attention that followed still have an impact on them, but a good feeling prevailed on Saturday evening, the spokesperson said.

Previously, the café staff had asked guests not to ask them how they were doing. According to the spokesperson, this request was followed. "If you didn't know what happened last week, you wouldn't have noticed," the spokesperson said. The four employees, who were held for hours during the hostage situation, met at the café earlier this week. The incident and the ensuing media attention still have an impact on them but there was a good feeling on Saturday night, the spokesperson said.

On Saturday, the café decided to open its doors to its guests again so they could give people a good time again and have a party. The café staff has had "a hectic week with a rollercoaster of emotions." "By mutual agreement, we have decided to pull the strings and reopen our doors. So we can do what we do best: give people a good time and have a party," Café Petticoat posted on Facebook.

The investigation into the hostage-taking is ongoing. The 28-year-old suspect remains in custody. However, nothing is yet known about his motive for the seven-hour hostage-taking of four people. Earlier this week, his lawyers explained that "a very long search for suitable help" and "the hopeless situation" in which the man found himself could have been motives. The young suspect from Eden lived in an assisted living facility and was convicted of threatening behavior last year. He had to undergo treatment in a psychiatric facility and report regularly to the probation service.