Explosive set off at Rotterdam school; Swastikas spray painted on facade

An explosive was set off at the Techniek College in Heijplaat, Rotterdam, overnight, shattering several windows. The perpetrators also spray-painted swastikas and swear words on the building’s facade.

“At around 3:50 a.m, a school on Scheepsbouwweg in Rotterdam was defaced, and an explosive was detonated,” police said. “Fortunately, no one was injured.” Dispatchers deployed the police and fire department to the scene.

Responding officers searched the area but found no trace of the suspect or suspects. No arrests have been made. “The police are investigating.”

Photos from the scene show that at least five swastikas were spray painted in red on the high school’s windows, as well as Dutch words for “whore” and “fucking nazi.”

Spokesperson Rateb Abawi of the school could not tell Rijnmond more about what happened. “As far as I know, a fireworks bomb went off, and the police are investigating. We will wait and see,” he told the broadcaster a few hours after the explosion.

He has no idea who could be behind it. The school has not received any signals or anything about anyone wanting to do harm, Abawi said.

By 7:30 a.m., the broken windows had been covered, and the swastikas and other graffiti had been scrubbed from the Techniek College facade. Abawi said the school would be open as usual on Friday.