Vandalism, arson at three Ede churches in one week
Three churches in Ede were the targets of vandalism and arson within a week. The police are investigating and asked witnesses to come forward.
The first incident happened at the Evangelical Church De Schuilplaats on Otterloseweg last week Thursday. The church told the Nederlands Dagblad that someone climbed over the building’s fence between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m.m, smashed several windows, and set fire to the meeting room.
Two days later, the Evangelical Lutheran Church on Beukenlaan in Gelderland was hit. According to NOS, church attendees discovered on Sunday morning that a stained-glass window had been smashed. The perpetrator threw a Molotov cocktail through the window, which caused a small fire. According to the police, this happened between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. on Sunday.
The third attack happened at the reformed Oude Kerk on Grotestraat in the city center between 1:30 and 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Someone set fire to the door of the historic church, leaving the wood charred black. A large window above it was also blackened with soot.
No one got hurt in these attacks, and the material damage was relatively limited. Police asked any witnesses or anyone with relevant camera footage to come forward.
Dick Duijzer, chairman of the Ede Council of Churches, suspects that a disturbed individual or someone reacting to symbols of the Christian faith is behind the attacks. “There’s something sad about it,” he told the Nederlands Dagblad. He doesn’t suspect terrorism, but added that Ede has over 30 churches that are now worried about being targeted.
The council advised churches to improve surveillance or ask surrounding residents to help keep an eye on things. “If you live close to your church, you might consider walking your dog around [the time of the previous attacks],” Duijzer said.
