Police: 1,356 explosion attacks recorded this year, near last year’s total
The number of explosion attacks in the Netherlands remains exceptionally high this year, with police reporting 1,356 incidents so far—nearly matching the total for all of 2024, when 1,543 attacks were recorded. Authorities say the figures point to a sustained national trend rather than a decline.
The latest figures come from the Offensief Tegen Explosies, a nationwide initiative involving police, municipalities and other authorities. Police say it is encouraging that the number of attacks has not surpassed last year’s total, but stress that the overall level remains alarmingly high.
“There is a lot happening to counter these attacks, but this phenomenon is not easily reduced,” Jos van der Stap, the police program manager for high-impact crimes, told NOS.
According to police data, more than 500 of this year’s explosions involved not only heavy fireworks but also gasoline. In these cases, perpetrators typically attach one or two powerful fireworks, often known as cobras, to a bottle of gasoline, causing a large fireball and extensive damage.
Police say the attacks are often intended to intimidate or take revenge and pose serious risks to residents. The deadliest case remains the explosion on Tarwekamp in The Hague one year ago, where six people were killed after an attack involving about 200 liters of gasoline.
While some attacks are linked to conflicts in criminal circles, police estimate that roughly half have other causes. “Then there is, for example, a relationship issue or a business dispute,” Van der Stap said. In many cases, the motive remains unclear. “Victims do not always tell the full story, but sometimes they really don’t know themselves,” he said.
Mistakes by perpetrators continue to be a recurring factor. Last year in Nieuwkuijk, a woman lost her lower leg in a fireworks attack after suspects likely targeted the wrong home. Police say similar errors have occurred this year, with explosions set off at the wrong house number or even in the correct street but the wrong town.
Of the 1,356 attacks recorded this year, 516 involved gasoline. A total of 926 homes and 227 businesses were damaged, and 323 suspects have been arrested. More than 300 of those arrests were made this year alone, including a large number of minors. While the average suspect age is 23, the single largest group is 16 years old.
“The boys who carry out the job receive the addresses through intermediaries via apps,” Van der Stap said. “In addition, a large part of them are low-educated or have mild intellectual disabilities, which makes them prone to making mistakes.”
Police say the suspects are often lured by the promise of quick money and recruited for a range of criminal activities. “They might suddenly also work as extractors or as fake police officers picking up bank cards from people at their doors,” Van der Stap said. “On the one hand, they are being exploited, but on the other hand, they want that 1,000-euro jacket without having to work for it in a supermarket.”
