Nearly 100 explosive attacks in January, most in Rotterdam

There were almost 100 reported incidents of explosions at a home, business, or car in January. The only time this happened more often since ANP started tracking it in 2023 was in October of last year. As has often been the case, most explosions occurred in Rotterdam.

On average, there were three explosions a day last month. Most explosions took place on January 12, with 10 in one day, including one by the Red Cross Hospital in Beverwijk.

The explosions mostly occurred in big cities like Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and The Hague. A house on the Meidoornstraat in Rotterdam, which was also targeted several times last year, was hit with an explosive twice this month.

A home on the Vrijmark in Almere was hit with an explosive last night. This resulted in damage being done to the front door.

The number of incidents with explosions has risen sharply in the last few years. The police estimate that over half of these are not connected to organized crime but rather are the result of a dispute.

Police reported that in most cases, heavy professional fireworks are often used with flash powder as a charge. This explosive mixture is found in cobras, among other things.

The Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel, has said that it is a "big problem," which is occurring throughout the country. He also pointed out that this is a trend that is also prevalent in other European countries. A commission led by Rotterdam Mayor Carola Schouten is investigating the growth in the number of explosions and will develop plans to combat this.

"Somehow, there is a kind of acceptance in it," said Van Weel. "Well, let's hang an explosive on someone's front door, that will scare them. We have to get rid of that. It is just a matter of time before more people die or are injured in these kinds of attacks."

ANP’s numbers only include incidents in which explosions went off, considering these have the biggest impact on the surrounding area. The ANP has also noted the street, place, date, and type of location that the explosions went off in. These are only the explosions reported by the media or police. The actual number could be even higher.