Rutte: De Vries shooting "shocking and
incomprehensible"
TUESDAY,
JULY 6, 2021 - 23:55
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte reacted with scorn to
the news that celebrity crime reporter Peter R. de Vries was shot in broad
daylight in Amsterdam on Tuesday night. Two people, possibly including the
shooter, were taken into custody on the A4 after the crime, and a third was
held in Amsterdam-Oost.
Rutte and
Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus met with the NCTV, the country's
counter-terrorism office, after the shooting. "The attack on Peter R. de
Vries is shocking and incomprehensible," said Rutte at a press conference
Tuesday night, comments similar to many other politicians in the country.
"An attack on a courageous journalist and the free press that is so
essential for our democracy; our rule of law."
He offered
his support to the victim's family and loved ones, as De Vries was in critical
condition and fighting for his life. "We all fervently hope - we pray -
that he survives this attack. That is the most important thing now. We are
doing everything we can to ensure that justice takes its course."
Grapperhaus
was visibly shaken by the shooting, similar to when Derk Wiersum was shot dead
in Amsterdam two years ago in front of his home. Wiersum was representing Nabil
B. at the time, the government's key witness against drug gang leader Ridouan
Taghi and his associates who are being tried for assassinations and attempted
murder.
De Vries
was also assisting Nabil B. and was recently said to be on a hit list for his
cooperation in the case. Grapperhaus would not say if De Vries was given extra
police protection.
"Tonight
an extraordinary journalist was shot," said Grapperhaus. "The
Netherlands is a country where we really always want journalists to conduct any
investigation in total freedom, and that freedom has been severely shaken
tonight. And that affects journalists, and damages our society."
"I
thought he was an admirable fighter against injustice who always stood up for
the underlying parties," said Grapperhaus, who caught himself speaking in
past tense and then corrected himself.
The
minister pledged that everything will be done to find those involved, and bring
them to trial. "We will do everything we can to uncover the facts."
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