The Land of Tulips and Windmills

"In 2024, 1,543 attacks or attempted attacks using explosives took place in the Netherlands. That is an increase of 71% compared to 2023."

"The Offensive against Explosions today presents the action plan aimed at reversing this rising trend."

"To achieve this, the Ministry of Justice and Security (JenV), the National Police, the Public Prosecution Service, Aedes [on behalf of housing associations], municipalities, the Dutch Association of Insurers, probation organisations, VNO-NCW and MKB Nederland  [on behalf of the business community] are joining forces. Together, they take measures and interventions that address all facets of violence with explosions: prevention, detection and prosecution, aftercare and local response."

Government of the Netherlands  

An apartment building damaged by an explosion in Duivendrecht, the Netherlands. Credit...Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The New York Times

In streets across the Netherlands, roughly three times nightly what was once an anomaly and which has latterly become a regular series of incidents, loud blasts awaken residents, the results of explosions. The explosions are caused by the setting off of illegal fireworks, so powerful they detonate with the energy of grenades. Their ubiquity has reasonably enough, caused a general sense of unease among the population, never knowing where or when their sleep would turn into a nightmare of terror.

 

In Duivendrecht, an Amsterdam suburb, an explosive resounded one early morning a month ago, the power of the blast damaging a dozen apartments, blowing out their windows, but fortunately on that occasion no one was injured. An arrest has yet to be made. As for the reason behind the explosion, there is as yet no explanation. Close to 700 such explosions were recorded across the Netherlands in the first half of 2025. They are the cause of fear, they damage homes and livelihoods and on occasion cause injuries and even death.

 

Years back when they occurred, the blasts were linked to organized crime and drug trafficking when hand grenades were used to settle gang scores. According to Netherlands law enforcement officials other groups now make use of the high-strength fireworks, which though illegal, can be procured relatively easily. The suspicion by authorities is that the black-market fireworks are being used to target people in family disputes, relationship quarrels and business rivalries.  

 

Six people were killed in an explosion in The Hague last year.   Credit...Josh Walet/ANP, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

 

When a particularly large blast caused a fire and the partial collapse of a three-story block of apartments in December in The Hague, six people were killed. As a result of that atrocious event, four individuals were arrested to face charges. These blasts have injured at least 35 people since 2024, three severely, one of whom  lost a leg. There were just over 340 explosions in 2022, most linked to the drug trade or other organized criminal activity. In 2023 that number increased to 901, and further increased to 1,244 in 2024.

 

"It has become a very easy way to intimidate people", Carola Schouten, mayor of Rotterdam, and chairwoman of a national task force on the explosions, commented. According to officials, the blasts are organized typically on the messaging app Telegram, where illegal fireworks can be readily purchased, and people can be hired -- for the most part males in their teen years to their 20s -- to place the bombs. 

 

It is mostly in the country's large cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam that most of the explosions occur, but none of the country's 12 provinces have been spared these explosions. According to the Dutch police, 163 people have been arrested connected to the explosions in the first half of 2025 alone, most of whom are the young men who place the bomb, evidently none of those who ordered the blasts and supplied the explosives.

 

A Rotterdam area suburb saw a plumber targeted at least 28 times over many months with explosive devices. The plumber died in August of 2024 of what the Dutch media characterized as a 'heart issue'. Those responsible for the bombings were never identified, much less arrested. The mayor of the suburb commented that whoever organized the blasts "is lying on a beach chair under an umbrella, drinking a cocktail, while it was terrible here".   

"Efforts are being made to prevent attacks with measures to reduce the source of the offenders. For example, by using targeted communication to make the often vulnerable potential offenders more resilient to the temptations of fast money."

"Thus, the coaches of 'Alleen Jij Bepaalt wie je bent' (Only You Determine Who You Are) are trained in dealing with explosives. 'Alleen Jij Bepaalt wie je bent' is a recognised behavioural intervention in which young people aged 10 to 18 are guided by trained coaches who act as role models and mentors. "

"These coaches will start workshops for young people on the topic of explosions in late April. The workshops will be delivered to around 5,000 participants before the end of this year."

"Targeted communication is also used to increase people's willingness to report in order to prevent explosions or repeat explosions. To this end, collaboration takes place with, among others, Meld Misdaad Anoniem (Report Crime Anonymously).

Government of the Netherlands 

The three-story apartment block partially collapsed after the incident, firefighters said.

Jeffrey Groeneweg/ANP/AFP/Getty Images

 

"The Minister for Social Affairs [Netherlands] stated that the ministry as well as
municipalities participated in secret investigations into mosques. The
investigators were monitoring for signs of extremism and radicalization."

"In a letter to the parliament, the Minister said the investigations were not
transparent, which she regretted. Muslim community leaders said the
secret investigations damaged their trust in the government."

"Authorities said the government continued to work with representatives of the Muslim
community to reinforce their “resilience” against Wahhabism, including
meeting with community representatives to discuss challenges faced by
mosques and supporting Muslim youth vulnerable to extremism related to
religion."

"The national police reported that authorities had not issued any
fines during the year to women wearing a burqa under the law banning full-
face coverings; there are no records of fines being imposed since inception
of the law in 2019."

"The media reported increasing demands by Muslim students for prayer rooms 

in high schools and resistance from some schools, including some that did not 

want to allow any prayer."

U.S. Department of State