Attack on the Dutch Royal Family

[Dirk Leegwater (RIP)]

The 2009 attack on the Dutch Royal Family occurred in Apeldoorn, where a man drove his car at high speed into a parade which included Queen Beatrix and other members of the royal family; the attack happened on April 30, the Dutch national holiday Koninginnedag (or Queen's Day).

The vehicle hit members of the public lining the street, leaving six dead and twelve injured. It narrowly missed the royal family and crashed into a monument at the side of the road, close to the Canadian WWII monument.
The historical "Civil" parade had the same route as our famous "Liberation" Apeldoorn parade. No members of the royal family were harmed. This attack was the first attack on the Dutch royal family in modern times.

The driver, identified as 38-year-old Dutch national Karst Richard Tates, was rescued by emergency service workers of the fire brigade and police, taken into custody and transported to the hospital for treatment. He died the day after the incident, bringing the total death toll to seven.

Dirk