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Femke Halsema

Femke Halsema

Mayor of Amsterdam

Appears in 2 stories

Born: 1966 (age 59 years), Haarlem, Netherlands
Party: GroenLinks
Children: Suzy Oey and Bruno Oey
Movies and shows: Amsterdammer van het jaar, Het Gesprek met de Burgemeester, Gesprek met de Burgemeester, and more
Education: Utrecht University VET

Notable Quotes

"This is a cowardly act of aggression towards the Jewish community. I understand the fear and anger of Amsterdam's Jewish community. They increasingly face antisemitism and that is unacceptable." — Statement on March 14, 2026

"A very intense and terrible fire in this monumental church. Our first concern and priority now is the well-being and homes of the immediate residents."

"Last night, Amsterdam lost one of its most cherished monuments."

Stories

Coordinated bombings target Jewish sites across Belgium and the Netherlands

Force in Play

Leading municipal security response

Four attacks on Jewish buildings across three countries in six days. An explosion at a synagogue in Liege, Belgium on March 9 was followed by a strike in Greece, an arson bombing at a Rotterdam synagogue on March 13, and an overnight blast at Amsterdam's only Orthodox Jewish school on March 14. No one has been killed, but the tempo is accelerating: the Amsterdam and Rotterdam attacks came less than 24 hours apart.

Updated Mar 14

Cuypers masterpiece destroyed: Amsterdam's Vondelkerk burns on chaotic new year

Built World

Leading city response to fire and evacuations

The Vondelkerk—a 154-year-old neo-Gothic church designed by P.J.H. Cuypers, the architect behind Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum and Central Station—was destroyed by fire that erupted at 12:45am on New Year's Day. The tower collapsed completely at 2:30am as firefighters battled the blaze, and by mid-morning officials declared the structure a 'total loss.' But within 24 hours, expert surveyors delivered unexpected hope: full restoration is technically possible, though expensive. The Netherlands' Cultural Heritage Agency has launched a formal assessment to determine what historic value can be preserved. Witnesses reported seeing fireworks aimed at the tower minutes before flames appeared, but one month later, investigators have not officially determined the cause.

Updated Jan 31