The man who drove his car into crowds watching the Dutch royal family on parade died Friday of his injuries.
Along with him, a national holiday that has changed forever.
“A national illusion died in Apeldoorn,” is the headline on a Volkskrant article on the attack. “We will never see it like this again, a queen and her family, free and approachable… A national illusion died on April 30, 2009… the party of folklore – the only real national day of celebration – has been hit hard.”
“The collection of curiosities in the category ‘only in the Netherlands’ is one attraction poorer. Foreigners who are surprised by ministers who cycle to their offices, a prime minister eating a herring alone at the fish stall next to parliament – it is all gone,” the paper states.
The Financieele Dagblad says events in Apeldoorn were an “attack on a vulnerable symbol of unity.”
“Queen’s Day is the day when a deeply divided Netherlands celebrates that it still does know unity. An attack on that hits the fundamentals of our society,” the paper writes.
“The Netherlands is a land of minorities. It always has been,” it goes on. “But alongside its relative prosperity and the necessary working together to protect it from destruction by the sea… there has been for centuries one factor which binds us – the Orange dynasty.”
Holland is a nation in mourning. Flags are in half-staff as 12 people continue to recover from their injuries caused by the attack.
In total six people – including the driver of the car – died.
The man who ploughed his car into the crowds with the intention on hitting the bus carrying the Dutch royals has been identified as Karst Tates, a 38 year old man from a town nearby Apeldoorn.
Neighbors of the Tates described him as a withdrawn man who had recently lost his security job and was set to be evicted from his home.
He did tell authorities that he aimed his car at the royals, but his motive remains unclear.
“It is very difficult now that we no longer have the suspect to reconstruct what was behind this,” said Fred de Graaf, the mayor of Apeldoorn.
“An element of uncertainty will remain because you can no longer question the suspect. So the last piece of the puzzle will remain in question,” he told reporters Friday.
Because of the tragedy, security will be no longer be the same around Queen Beatrix and her family. Starting Monday, when she attends memorial services commemorating victims of World War II, security is bound to be tighter.
