A hostage stand-off at a nightclub in the eastern Netherlands has ended peacefully after several hours with the arrest of a suspect – a man wearing a balaclava mask who exited the building and surrendered to police.
“The last hostage has just been released. One person has been arrested,” a police statement said.
“We cannot share more information at this time.”
Several people, including employees, had been taken hostage at the Cafe Petticoat in the town of Ede early on Saturday morning.
The motive was unclear.
Officials said at a news briefing that the suspect, who was previously known to police, had threatened the hostages with knives.
Police said earlier in a message on X that “at the moment there is no indication of a terrorist motive”.
The suspect walked out of the club, put his hands behind his head and got to his knees before being handcuffed by police, a Reuters video journalist at the scene said.
Earlier, three young hostages left the cafe in Ede.
A fourth person was released shortly before the suspect was arrested.
Police explosives units had been deployed to the building in the town centre.
Streets in the area had been evacuated and trains cancelled to the town, nearly 80km from Amsterdam.
with AP
