There he heard demands for a prison sentence of 19 months, most of which was conditional, for, among other things, threatening a terrorist offense. Even though the officer said that Tijn B. “hit democracy straight in the heart” with his action, as far as she is concerned he does not have to go back to jail. He had already been in pre-trial detention for 5.5 months. She also demanded 140 hours of community service.
Tijn B. (19) entered the House of Representatives: ‘Wanted to be shot by the Royal Military Police’
“It was a moment when I didn’t know anything anymore. When I had no more hope and was in really bad shape,” Tijn B. said about that day in February. He thought his life was worthless, but wanted his death to have some meaning. That is why, and also because he knew that there were armed military police there, he chose the House of Representatives building.
Before entering, he threw his ID, house key and telephone – “my earthly possessions” – into the pond at the entrance. He wouldn’t need it anymore if his ‘suicide by cop’ were successful.
Even before he threatened a hostess with the knife and snapped at her: “Let me in or I will stab you,” she already started to feel bad. “He had a blank, uncomprehending look,” she later told police.
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“I felt no anger towards her. Sadness and despair,” Tijn B. tried to explain his behavior. He ran towards the escalators in the hall, and then through the glass doors to a corridor where a committee meeting was taking place. Security activated a lock-down button, which closed the corridor and the shutters were lowered in the room where a meeting was taking place. All attendees were led to a secure area. Tijn B. was in fact enclosed.
He continued to wave his knife at the glass doors behind which the Military Police stood. “I still wanted to die. I still wanted to seem like a threat.” But doubt also set in, he said. “I wanted to escape. I saw images from my youth. I became sentimental and froze. But maybe that was also out of fear of the Marechaussee.”
Finally he was overpowered. According to a psychologist who examined him, Tijn B. has greatly diminished his accountability. In addition to having an autism spectrum disorder, he was severely depressed and addicted to alcohol at the time. There has been no evidence of extremist ideas.
He now lives with his parents again and is doing better, partly due to medication. He doesn’t want to die anymore. He does feel enormous regret and shame, he told the court. “I should have asked for help. I am against violence and find democracy far too worthless to disrupt. But I understand that it seemed different.” Ruling October 29.