Femke Halsema

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 Yesterday

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