Multiple injured in Arnhem city center stabbing

Several people were injured in stabbings in the center of Arnhem yesterday evening. A police spokesperson confirmed this after reports from the newspaper De Gelderlander. The newspaper writes that a big fight likely happened before the stabbings. The police received the first report around 9:30 PM.

According to De Gelderlander, a badly injured man collapsed around that time on the Korenmarkt. This is a square filled with bars and restaurants—what we in the Netherlands call a 'horecaplein'—with many outdoor terraces. Emergency services rushed to the scene with a lot of equipment. Many people were sitting on the terraces at the time. The newspaper reports that at least one man was taken to the hospital by ambulance. A restaurant worker told De Gelderlander: "I saw a wound in his chest, his shoulder, and his lower back. He was still able to talk then." Another witness told the newspaper: "There were boys there trying to stop the bleeding with their shirts, in a panic." The victim was reportedly chased before he collapsed on the square.

The other stabbings took place on Willemsplein and in Wielakkerstraat, which are also in the center of Arnhem. People were injured there too, though it is not yet clear how many. Videos on social media show groups of young people fighting with each other. The police cannot say anything yet about what caused the violence. Officers are investigating the scenes at multiple locations in the city center. At least three people have been arrested. According to De Gelderlander, some witnesses say five people were arrested.