Attack on Dutch Queen, 4 dead and 13 injured; Queen safe

[Franzl]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/30/netherlands.queen.car/index.html

Dutch police charged a man with trying to attack the royal family Thursday after he crashed a car near a bus carrying Queen Beatrix and her family, police said.

Four people were killed and 13 injured in the incident in the Dutch town of Apeldoorn, about 45 miles east of Amsterdam, police spokeswoman Esther Naber told CNN.

The driver is in hospital, badly injured, she said.


Damn.

[freek]

The driver told the police it was a deliberate attack, not an accident. He lost his job a few months ago, and had to leave his apartment by tomorrow because he couldn't pay the rent anymore

The Queen and her family were in Apeldoorn because of Queen's Day, the Dutch national holiday. Most festivities in the country were canceled because of this attack.

[??????????]

Regicide is so passe.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Wasn't expecting that.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Heard on the late news here that police would study the hint of a terrorist attack. An isolated act seems more relevant, but well, we'll see.

[The Mikado]

Hey, all you assholes who said that regicide is "always justified" in that thread a few months ago, I hope you're happy.

My condolences to the Dutch people on their losses.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

regicide is "always justified"

So stupid. I'm from a "regicide country", yeah, I know, that's a long time ago now, but when we look at history, outside of the moral issue which is enough to find it unacceptable, it seems that regicide carries more problems than solutions. Here, we're still saying: "We've killed our king, it ruled nothing, look, we've the democracy with the most monarchist system".

[freek]

Heard on the late news here that police would study the hint of a terrorist attack. An isolated act seems more relevant, but well, we'll see.

5 dead now.

The police said there was no indication of a link to terrorist groups. I agree with you that is seems to be an isolated act. Like Falling Down.

[afleitch]

Regicide is rather pointless. The whole point of a monarchy is that if 50 royals die, the 51st would take their place.

[The Mikado]

regicide is "always justified"

So stupid. I'm from a "regicide country", yeah, I know, that's a long time ago now, but when we look at history, outside of the moral issue which is enough to find it unacceptable, it seems that regicide carries more problems than solutions. Here, we're still saying: "We've killed our king, it ruled nothing, look, we've the democracy with the most monarchist system".

Absolutely.  And, to the French's credit, neither Charles X nor Louis-Phillipe were executed after their abdications.  (Nor was Napoleon III, for that matter)  You might say that what happened to Louis XVI was a tragic aberration.

[freek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfNv9004XYo

A short television speech by the Queen, recorded 2 hours after the attack, in which she gave moral support to all the victims. Although it is in Dutch, non-Dutch speakers will also notice how shocked she is from this situation.

[Lunar]

Regicide is rather pointless. The whole point of a monarchy is that if 50 royals die, the 51st would take their place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_the_Romanov_family

[freek]

The driver died in hospital last night, so 6 dead now.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

You might say that what happened to Louis XVI was a tragic aberration.

Yes, I referred to that. Psychologically that's here we consider we've killed the monarchy, the "great revolution", in our psychology kings that followed are not accountable.

And if that murder was part of a liberation movement, it seems it caused a trauma with consequences on the long term too, that violent death of THE big character of the state. And it may be why then we had other kings, emperors, or not stable republics, and the most stable republic we found (the 5th) gives a lot of place to the executive power and as I said is described as the democracy with the most monarchist system.

Anyway, if we have good and strong principles to establish a new system, if we have the mean to take the power, a murder is nothing but pointless, I would see it more likely as a sign of weakness.

[Storebought]

Not to make light of circumstances, but Her Majesty speaks Dutch with a notable English accent.

[freek]

Not to make light of circumstances, but Her Majesty speaks Dutch with a notable English accent.

We don't call it an English accent in the Netherlands, but 'bekakt' i.e. posh, or 'speaking with a hot potato in your throat'. It is the typical accent of the well-to-do.