AMSTERDAM — An explosion damaged a Jewish school in an upscale residential neighborhood in southern Amsterdam early Saturday morning, in what the city’s mayor described as a “deliberate attack against the Jewish community.”
Mayor Femke Halsema confirmed in a press release that the blast caused only limited damage and that no injuries were reported. Police and firefighters arrived quickly at the scene following the incident.
“We see this as a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community,” Halsema stated. “Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism. This is unacceptable.”
The attack comes amid heightened security concerns across the Netherlands and neighboring Belgium. Security at synagogues and Jewish institutions in the Dutch capital had already been reinforced following an overnight arson attack at a synagogue in central Rotterdam on Friday.
In a separate incident earlier this week, an explosion caused a fire at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, on Monday.
Authorities in Amsterdam have launched an investigation into Saturday’s explosion, though no suspects have been identified or arrested thus far.
The incidents reflect growing concerns over antisemitic violence in Western Europe, with Jewish community leaders calling for increased protection and government action to ensure the safety of religious and educational institutions.
