According to justice, people in their twenties between the ages of 22 and 28 were involved in causing the mega bang in the village with homemade ‘guns’, which caused many windows to fly out. Public Prosecutor Bas Rademacher sees a plan: “Causing an explosion is one of the most serious offenses in the Criminal Code. Because it’s so unfocused, so dangerous…”
He explained the requirement: ,,There were several hotel guests and people were at home waiting for the turn of the year. It could have ended very differently. People have been left with consequences later on. The sentiment is that it was a prank. But that’s not the issue. Suspects foresaw the danger (shortly in advance). They foresaw ‘sweeping glass’.” Deliberately so. The officer: ,,Suspects want to compensate damage, that is partly taking responsibility. But they tune what they want to explain, say it went off by accident. They keep their mouths shut.”
Viewers around a bridge in the village were waiting for the moment. “Deliberately. They stood with their hands over their ears. There was filming; something was clearly about to happen.”
The damage turned out to be considerable; shattered glass was everywhere. Those involved say they never thought it possible that so much damage could occur. The carbide gun/slurry tank was driven around and things went wrong at the Tolhûswei. Houses and the hotel with eleven rooms suffered tens of thousands of euros of (glass) damage. A startled hotel guest ‘saw a fireball coming towards him’ and she was thrown backwards.
Twelve Frisians came together to turn themselves in; ‘out together, home together’. Suspect Wiebe J. (23) cannot reach it. ,,I don’t know how it exploded.” Driver of the ‘pull car’ Durk B.: ,,I have no idea it could go off.” He states that responsibility has indeed been taken. “We have reported. Not everyone did that, there were 25 or 30 people. I regret that. There has also been a lot of arguing about that.” Sander A. (28) was standing on the bridge. “I don’t know how he went off on the road. I was terribly shocked. There was no division of labor or anything, nothing was really agreed or organised. We said ‘we have to be honest about the damage’.”
Nothing pressed
Arnold F. (22) sat in the back next to the alleged detonator, an electrical box. ,,But I didn’t press anything.” Suspect Maurits R. (23) about that time. “Not much was possible because of corona. There was a question of what to do! You come up with ideas that you regret. It started small, it started unconsciously. It shouldn’t have happened like this.” Willem K. (21) sighed: ,,It was a playful action, I understood. I was not aware of the risks that it could ignite itself. There must be inflammation, right?, he reasoned.
Attorney mr. Tjalling van der Goot represents the carbide company. The counsel believes that there is indeed a question of taking responsibility. “They reported to the police and arranged compensation.” He speaks of “a stupid accident”. “I didn’t know about this risk either. After all, there had to be a spark, right? If you know that a tank can pop, then you are not playing with your life. Then you’re not going to walk next to it, are you?”
Two others are not being prosecuted. ,,I get that, they were a hundred meters away. But there are more of them.” They will be prosecuted. Van der Goot therefore pleads for acquittal on the grounds of inadmissibility. “There is also no technical investigation. It is not clear who did what. This is ‘you were there, so you’re there. That is not what criminal law is for. It’s creepy behavior to attribute ‘to this group’.”
BOX: An elderly victim from Dordrecht made use of the right to speak. He was pleasantly visiting the village and was sitting quietly on the couch. “I still suffer from it. My hearing has deteriorated. Especially in the high tones.” Also persistent ringing in the ears and problems with balance. “It bothers me when sailing, I can’t bear the wind on my ear.” The ten pay this injured 800 euros in damages.
Judgment August 12.