A blast has struck a Jewish school in Amsterdam, Dutch authorities have confirmed. The city’s mayor Femke Halsema said she believed the explosion was a “deliberate attack against the Jewish community”.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, with police and fire services responding swiftly. Damage to the school in an affluent residential area on Amsterdam’s south side was contained.
No casualties have been reported. Police are examining CCTV footage that appears to show the individual who set off the explosive device. “This is a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community,” Ms Halsema said.
“Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism. This is unacceptable.”
Enhanced security at Jewish schools and institutions has been bolstered further following recent assaults on synagogues in Rotterdam and in Liege, Belgium.
There was also an assault on a synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, near Detroit in Michigan on Thursday, where a Lebanese-born US citizen allegedly drove his vehicle into the building.
Officials said the attacker, who was carrying a rifle, was shot dead. None of the synagogue’s personnel, educators or the 140 children at its early childhood centre were harmed.
Federal investigators said the Michigan incident was an act of violence targeting the Jewish community. Concerns about potential strikes targeting Jewish communities globally have heightened following US-Israeli air raids on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent military retaliation.
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly with the latest news, pictures and videos.
You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.
Get all the very best headlines, pictures, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following Daily Star every time you see our name.
Follow Daily Star on Android – CLICK HERE
Follow Daily Star on Apple – CLICK HERE
Follow Daily Star on Snapchat – CLICK HERE
You can also sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news by following @starbreaksnews and follow us @dailystar for all the latest updates.
Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/thedailystar.