All five were at the Apple Store when a man walked in and the hostage situation began. The kidnapper threatened to blow himself up. He demanded €200 million in cryptocurrency and secure behavior from the property.

hidden in the closet

Police transported about 70 people who were hiding in the building to safety during and after the hostage crisis. Four people were hiding in a closet.

Halsima: “The four people who kept silent for hours in a locker and lived in fear of being discovered are also brave. Despite their ordeal, they were able to pass on important information about the hostage situation to the police.”

“Run, in danger of his life”

The hostage situation ended late in the evening when the hijacker attempted to snatch water bottles from the robot at the front door. The hostage man ran. He immediately chased Amsterdam, but was severely hit by a police car. He died the next day of his injuries. The hostage, a man from Bulgaria, was not hurt.

What is a Hero Pin?

Heldenspeld is an award given to residents of Amsterdam who have committed themselves to other citizens. It is an initiative of the municipality.

Halsema: “The hostage decided to run in a split second, risking his life. His heroism is incredibly brave even if he doesn’t consider himself a hero.”

“The violent hostage-taking left a deep impression on those directly involved,” Halsema says. The whole country sympathized with the hostages.”