Officers were in the midst of chasing a suspect in Den Haag Central, when a bystander jumped into action and pushed the offender, allowing police to take the upper hand.
In a scene straight out of an action movie, all the drama was caught on tape in a video released by police — check it out below:
The Jan Hendrikstraat police thanked the mystery woman for her brave actions in an official Facebook post. The woman’s assistance led to the suspect’s arrest. 🚨
TV on the ground
Dutch TV producer, Ewout Genemans, who’s currently working with The Hague police on a TV program was at the scene at the time of the incident.
Genemans told RTL Nieuws that he sees more and more bystanders spring into action in his line of work, but he doesn’t personally recommend intervening in the business of law enforcement.
“You can never assess the whole situation. More and more people are walking around with a weapon or a knife, so you have to be careful. Don’t just do this.”
The final verdict
There’s no question that the brave woman helped The Hague police tremendously in this situation. However, while this incident luckily didn’t escalate further, there is no guarantee that things will always sail so smoothly. 🚔
What would you have done if you were in the same situation? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
Yep, the city of Gorinchem in South Holland was just voted the most beautiful fortified town in the lowlands. Never heard of it before? Well, here’s everything you need to know!
According to a campaign by the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB), Gorinchem —also known as Gorkum — stood out as the most beautiful Dutch fortified town. Fortified towns are known for their characteristic star-shape! ⭐
There are 160 fortified towns in the Netherlands, some of which include Naarden near Amsterdam and Breda in the South of the Netherlands.
Okay, but what makes it so beautiful?
Situated near Rotterdam, Gorinchem is a historic city founded in the year 1000 CE and fortified in the 13th and 14th centuries. It also hosts the largest, fully intact fort in the Netherlands (woah!).
However, the city also has a modern vibe to it with beautiful terraces, museums, rivers, and more! All of these things ultimately won the hearts of the ANWB. ❤️
When deciding which fortified city was the real star in the jury’s eyes, they listed a number of reasons:
“Gorinchem is beautifully situated on the spot where the river Linge flows into the Merwede. The ramparts have been beautifully preserved: a green ribbon around the city with knots of chestnuts and plane trees to stroll under and with a view of the surrounding countryside, the river and the many defense works.”
We don’t know about you but we’re sold on this town!
Would you visit Gorinchem or another fortified town? Let us know in the comments below!
In July, much of Dutch news was flooded with videos and images of, well, floods. The southern province of Limburg suffered blow after blow when heavy rainfall led to severe flooding in many villages.
In fact, the Dutch government even went so far as to declare the flooding a national disaster. It was the worst flooding the Netherlands had seen in decades.
What caused it? Experts asked themselves the same thing — and now they have the answer: climate change.
An international study
The Netherlands was not the only country to be affected by horrific floods. In fact, other countries suffered far worse consequences. In regions of Germany and Belgium, lives were lost to the severe floods.
The effort to determine what caused such devastation has therefore been an international one. Dutch climate scientists took part in the international study which found that the level of precipitation that occurs during heavy rainfall has risen from 3% to 19%.
How did this contribute to the flooding?
High levels of precipitation in Limburg led to the perfect storm in July of this year. Record-breaking levels of rainfall meant that the soil in the region was already saturated before the flooding.
Combine this with warm air, which absorbs water vapour, and the fact that it lingered so long in the one area — and you have a recipe for disaster.
More intense and frequent precipitation caused by climate change
Sjoukje Philip of the KNMI was one of the Dutch experts to take part in the study. She explains these findings to the NOS, saying “We looked at the precipitation that led to these floods and saw that it has indeed become more intense due to a changing climate.”
She also added that this intense level of precipitation occurs more often due to climate change.
The study compared our current world — one that has seen an increase in temperature of 1.2 degrees since we started emitting greenhouse gasses — to our world before we turned up the heat.
It found that, in our current climate, the chances of such extreme precipitation occurring again have increased by a factor of between 1.2 and — wait for it — 9.
Not just Limburg
Philip also pointed out that while Limburg was the region that suffered this time around, the chances of this happening in other regions of the Netherlands are just as high.
She continues to emphasise the importance of acknowledging the connection between climate change and extreme weather in the Netherlands, saying “it is important that people are realising that extreme weather is caused by climate change and that we need to limit greenhouse gas emissions.”
Have you become aware of the effects of climate change in the Netherlands? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Tourism, entertainment and restaurants are the industries that most readily come to mind when discussing the impact of COVID-19 regulations on the Dutch economy and society as a whole.
The latest, and most unexpected victim, however, is the Dutch book sector.
Increased internet activity
In Europe, paper pulp is more likely to be used for packages or boxes than it is to become a book. With an unprecedented increase in online shopping and food deliveries in response to COVID-19 regulations, there is an increased demand for cardboard boxes.
Too many takeaway pizzas can (humorously) be blamed for the paper shortage in the Netherlands. This is understandable, as what better way to cope with a pandemic than with cheesy carbs and take out treats?
The publishing industry responds
Robert Jan de Rooi who is owner and director of Wilco— one of the largest printing companies in the Netherlands — says that many factories across Europe previously dedicated to printing books have switched industries to meet the demand for cardboard boxes.
Companies like Thuisbezorgd and Deliveroo saw a significant spike in the number of takeaway orders, and online shopping outlets like Amazon and Bol boomed.
Less paper for printing
According to the NOS, a pandemic-related shortage in paper pulp means less to spare for books. It seems like people in the Netherlands, and indeed the world, turned to the internet to fill their shopping needs.
This makes sense seeing as eating out was primarily restricted and window shopping all but abolished during the worst of the COVID-19 waves.
Impact on book printing
Book printers are at the so-called back of the line regarding the paper deliveries needed to manufacture books. As a result of month-long order backlogs and delivery issues, publishers have to wait for their books to reach the shelves.
Naturally, this is an unforeseen setback of increased online shopping and subsequent deliveries. Printers are left waiting longer for deliveries, and the paper market is ultimately out of balance.
Planning around the paper shortage
As a result of paper delays and pulp shortages, publishers now have to plan their releases and re-releases around the paper shortage. More books will be temporarily sold out because reprint is on the backlog. As a result, same-day delivery is out of the question for the time being.
Increased book sales
On the positive side, the book industry is doing well with the sales that they do make. According to Market researcher GfK, a total of 41 million books were sold last year, involving a turnover of almost €600 million — 6% more than in 2019.
A Dutch hospital has been left with the task of finding out the identity of one of their patients who passed away. The man is believed to have been East Asian, however, this is about as much as the staff know about his identity.
Gelre Hospital in Zutphen received the man in a serious condition on August 10. He died of natural causes a few days later. However, the hospital have been unable to identify him and, as a result, any of his potential family members. Police have now launched an appeal.
One hospital staff tells De Stentor — a Zwolle-based regional newspaper — that in his 19 years of working there, he has never seen anything like this. “This is very sad, and we hope that relatives are found soon.”
No crime involved
The man was brought into the hospital by people driving a blue Ford Focus. However, they left the hospital without leaving any identification or contact details behind.
While the manner in which he was left is a bit mysterious, police and hospital staff have ruled out that his death was the result of a crime.
The reason for police involvement is simple: when an unidentified person passes away in Dutch hospitals, the police step in to make an appeal for more information.
The appeal
Police have released a description of the man’s identity as well as an image of the jacket he was wearing when he was brought into the hospital (as seen in our feature image).
The man is presumed to have been East Asian, with brown eyes, a normal build (weighing 74 kilograms), and dark brown hair. He was 1.68 metres (5ft 5 inches) tall and had a scar on his head that could be found on the right side under his hair.
Anyone who may have any information about the man can call the police at 0900-8844 or completely anonymously via 0800-7000.
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The housing market in the Netherlands is breaking records — and this isn’t good news. This July, an existing owner-occupied home was 16% more expensive than in July 2020.
According to Statistics Netherlands and the Dutch Land Registry, this is the largest increase since October 2000, reports the NOS.
The Dutch real estate association NVM points out that to get a home, buyers often have to bid €50,000 above the asking price. Sometimes, things get so extreme that experts speak of “irresponsible overbids.”
However, the housing shortage is not the only explanation for soaring housing prices — there are financial causes as well.
According to De Nederlandsche Bank, one factor contributing to higher housing prices is cheap home financing.
Generous tax benefits for homeowners are another factor leading to a higher demand for owner-occupied homes, highlights the International Monetary Fund.
What’s your experience with the Dutch housing market? Let us know in the comments below!
Since the beginning of August, Leeuwarden’s resident stadskunstenaar Cote Veragua has been spreading notes of love and compassion through the city she calls home.
Along with her intern, Janneke, and a handful of passionate volunteers, Cote hopes that their words can connect with the 128 different nationalities that live in Leeuwarden.
Away from home during the pandemic
The project, nicknamed ‘The Other Virus’, is an attempt to reach out to everyone who may be feeling a little lonely during the pandemic. Through her research, Cote has discovered that 4 out of 10 Leeuwarden residents feel alone and secluded, which is unsurprising, given that the past 18 months have been a rollercoaster for us all.
Cote and her volunteers have been working to make Leeuwarden a more cheerful place for internationals and Dutchies alike! Image: Simone Kynaston/Supplied.
Ever the kind and compassionate soul, Cote’s passion for connecting with everyone around her has been seen before; last year she chalked 55 hopeful messages in Dutch, Frisian and English around the city to keep spirits high and spread messages of hope to anyone who felt affected by the onslaught of the pandemic.
This time round, armed with bucket loads of colourful chalk and their enthusiastic volunteers, Cote and Janneke set out to cover the pavements around the city and suburbs in hopeful messages in a wider array of languages to pay homage to the multiple nationalities who live in the Frisian capital.
Making their way through the city
So far they’ve flooded the city centre, as well as neighbourhoods Heechterp-Schieringen, Bilgaard, Vrijheidswijk, and Binnenstad — all neighbourhoods with the largest influx of internationals — with positivity.
And, although the Dutch weather interrupted their hard work at the end of the first week, they were able to continue tagging Leeuwarden’s streets with sweet words after the weekend showers had been and gone.
The idea is simple enough: Cote wants the expats, refugees, and migrants who’ve not been able to see their families and loved ones since the start of the pandemic to feel at home in the city. To feel seen and heard, loved and appreciated, when everything around them is foreign.
That means that the messages will be chalked in an array of languages, from Dutch and Frisian, to English, Spanish, Polish, and many more.
A message from home
Originally from Chile, Cote knows exactly how it feels to have nothing familiar surrounding you for so long, and how it can negatively impact your mental health and well-being.
She understands that something as simple as a meaningful message in your mother tongue can push negative feelings aside and bring forth a sense of peace and belonging in its place, even when going home is only a dream for most for the time being.
That’s why these chalk messages mean so much to Cote, Janneke, and their team of volunteers — which was also made up of residents from around the world.
Mission accomplished!
The project has been fun and invigorating, and the group have had plenty of comments of love and support since they began their work two weeks ago; the new and improved pastel rainbow walkways in Leeuwarden are certainly drawing crowds, with Leeuwarders stopping to chat to everyone taking part.
Mission achieved then; bringing people together, getting people talking, and stunting that loneliness in its tracks — that was the whole point. And it’s one of the main reasons that Cote does what she does.
We think Cote, Janneke and the gang have done an amazing job so far to spread ‘The Other Virus.’ What do you think?
Want to spread your own message of positivity to support Cote’s work? Grab your own piece of chalk and scribble the most positive message you can. Share it with the hashtag #theotherviruslwd to show your support.
But surprise! The stolen vehicle came with two police dogs in the back. 🐾 That’s “ruff!”
GPS saved the day
We know Dutch beer is the best, but obviously, not everyone out there is drinking responsibly.
A police spokesman told De Gelderlander, the 28-year-old man went for the car while the police officer was busy extinguishing a fire nearby at 2:15 AM.
Luckily, the officer immediately noticed the theft which prompted an intense car chase by several police cars in pursuit of the GPS-tracked vehicle in the residential area of Houtsmastraat.
A happy ending
What started as a night of giggles for the man didn’t end well for him. The chase after the happy fellow eventually ended in Silvolde on foot, and the service dogs were found safe and sound.
The man was charged with and is being prosecuted for theft of a police car, driving under the influence, and joyriding. Too bad there’s no official charge for filming a crime.
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Yes, you read that right! Dutch clogs are all the rage right now in the fashion world but they aren’t the big, clunky shoes we have come to know (and love?).
Say doei doei to the slip-on Crocs and slippers of your quarantine days because Dutch clogs are back in style.
But seriously, how?
Yeah, we’re also asking ourselves the same question. It turns out, the sudden popularity of Dutch clogs, or klompen, emerged when all the models of the Hermès spring 2021 collection were sent down the runway donning a leather version of the famous Dutch shoes.
A year later, the clogs also made an appearance at the Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Spring 2021 shows (seriously?!). Several other high-fashion brands have also released their own versions of the shoe, reports Harper’s Bazaar.
Now, the style has become so popular that they’re selling out everywhere! 😱
The fashionable clogs are a far cry from the fully-wooden ones worn by some rural Dutch farmers today. The new clogs are actually closer to the traditional 13th-century version of Dutch clogs with a wooden sole and a leather strap on top.
What do you think of Dutch clogs coming back in style? Let us know in the comments below!
Smugglers are getting creative. More than 4,000 kilograms of cocaine has been found hidden in two containers of PINEAPPLE PULP in the port of Rotterdam— yep, things are getting fruity.
The drugs were discovered on Tuesday in a crackdown (pun intended 😉) by the police, customs, fraud squad (FIOD), and some other pretty important-sounding people, the NOS reports.
What happened to the cocaine… and the people who smuggled it?
Having come with the pineapple pulp from Costa Rica, it was the end of the road for the drugs — all 4,000 kgs were seized and destroyed. As for the dealers? No arrests have been made, although the police are in the process of investigating the matter further.
A regular occurrence in the port of Rotterdam
Consignments of drugs are regularly intercepted by customs in the port of Rotterdam. Just last week, the police seized 2,100 kgs of cocaine worth €157 million. 😱 Sounds like just about enough to cancel all our student debt.
On this occasion, the drugs were hidden in a container of banana pulp — also from Costa Rica. We’re seeing a pattern here, these drug smugglers sure do like their fruit!
This drug trade is clearly risky business — using all that pineapple and banana to open a smoothie bar might provide a more secure source of income.🍍
What are your thoughts on this drug bust? Tell us in the comments below!
