Tanning salon owner subjected to years of violence wants more aid for entrepreneurs
Pinar Günes, owner of a tanning salon in Wijchen, Gelderland, has been subject to attacks on her business for three years, ranging from threats to shootings to explosions. Her family is also getting targeted. And while investigations continue, the municipality has closed her business multiple times to protect the peace in the neighborhood. She is advocating for a fund for entrepreneurs affected by explosive attacks, the Telegraaf reports.
Last year, her studio was the target of two attacks. First, a shooting, then a firework bomb was detonated in front of the business. A second package was left behind, a “dirty bomb,” Günes told the newspaper. “A haphazardly assembled mix of explosives,” she said. “It was there primarily to instill fear.”
Günes has been terrorized for three years, and the attacks seem to be becoming increasingly extreme. They come in waves. “Every few months, it starts all over again.” Her family is also being targeted. “Everyone around me has had a turn,” she said.
“An explosive went off at my mother’s house in Oss last year. My brother was attacked out of nowhere by a man in front of his door. We received bullets with our names on them. My boyfriend was assaulted by three people in Nijmegen; a witness saw it happen. Dozens of reports have been filed with the police.”
She has a strong suspicion about who is behind the attacks, but the police investigation has not yet led to arrests. And in the meantime, her business is closed again to maintain public order. “As a victim, you have to foot the bill,” Günes told the newspaper. “I live from day to day, with the constant tension that something else could happen at any moment. The uncertainty is intense and exhausting. Where will this end?”
Günes advocates for a fund for affected businesses, stricter sentences for perpetrators, and more police capacity. Günes is one of many entrepreneurs affected.
Last year, there were 1,525 explosive attacks on homes, businesses, and vehicles, the Offensive Against Explosions reported on Friday. That is almost the same as in 2024, when 1,543 such attacks were recorded.
