Theo van Gogh commemorated in Amsterdam 20 years after his murder

On Saturday, Amsterdam will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. On November 2, 2004, the director and opinion leader was murdered in broad daylight by Mohammed B. in Linnaeusstraat in Amsterdam-Oost. Commemorative events will be held at the site of the incident, in Oosterpark and De Balie.

The commemoration in De Balie is organized by the debate centre. The event is dedicated to the importance of freedom of speech and the fight against violence and extremism. During the commemoration, Katja Schuurman and Olga Zuiderhoek, among others, will act out a broadcast of Van Gogh's talk show 'Een vrolijke gesprek'. Two actors will play Van Gogh but are themselves unrecognizable. His sister Jantine van Gogh will give a speech.

The commemoration is open to everyone, says De Balie. If the main hall is full, the performance can be followed via screens elsewhere in the building. The commemoration is part of the Freethinkers Festival.

On Friday evening, De Balie organized a meeting about Van Gogh's legacy, which was attended by the mayor of Arnhem, Ahmed Marcouch, Amsterdam city councilor Marjolein Moorman, and JA21 senator Annabel Nanninga, among others.

Elsewhere in Amsterdam, the murder of Theo van Gogh will also be commemorated on Saturday. For example, a commemoration will take place at the original crime scene on Linnaeusstraat and at the statue The Scream in Oosterpark.

The filmmaker's death is also being commemorated on television. For instance, NPO is broadcasting several films and series about Van Gogh. On Saturday, the film Interview will be shown with Katja Schuurman in the role of a soap star who is interviewed by an elite journalist played by Pierre Bokma.

B. killed Van Gogh by shooting him and cutting his throat. B. then used a knife to stab a threatening letter addressed to the then MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali into the director's body. B. is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Van Gogh.