THE HAGUE — A bomb that was pushed through a letter slot exploded at the headquarters of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s centrist D66 party late Thursday, but no one was injured, police said. A 37-year-old suspect has been arrested, though authorities declined to release further details about the individual or any suspected motive.
The attack took place during a meeting of about 30 members of the party’s youth wing, who were startled but unharmed, Jetten said during his weekly news conference Friday.
“It’s pretty futile if you think you can intimidate politicians with these kinds of actions,” Jetten said.
The leaders of other Dutch political parties quickly condemned the bombing. Center-right VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz called it a “cowardly act” on social media, while opposition leader Jesse Klave of the leftist PRO party described the attack as “a direct attack on our democracy and the rule of law.”
The incident marked the second time in less than a year that the D66 headquarters in The Hague has been targeted. In September, a right-wing demonstration escalated into violence during which rioters vandalized the office, just weeks before the general election. At the time, Jetten called the attackers “scum” in a social media post.
Jetten, who became the Netherlands’ youngest-ever prime minister in February, has maintained his defiant stance against political violence.