Two years in prison for hanging a hand grenade on the fence of a festival in Purmerend

NOS News•yesterday, 5:24 PM

A man from the municipality of Edam-Volendam has been sentenced to two years in prison, eight months of which are conditional, for placing a hand grenade on the fence of a festival site in Purmerend last summer.

The emergency services were alerted during the night of July 14 to 15 about an explosive device near the Electronic Picnic Festival. The hand grenade was attached to the fence of the festival site with a tie-wrap.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service removed the grenade, so the festival site did not have to be evacuated. Shortly afterwards, the 26-year-old man was arrested in his home.

According to the court, he created a life-threatening situation with his actions. “If someone were to remove the hand grenade by pulling on the hand grenade, the safety pin with the pull ring would remain on the tie-wrap, which would have detonated the grenade.”

The court takes into account that the man realizes the seriousness of his actions, but also thinks that he has not made full disclosure. According to the court, it is not entirely clear how he obtained a grenade and why he hung the explosive.

The man’s lawyer had indicated that his client was suffering from a drug psychosis at the time, the regional broadcaster NH reported. Because of his delusions, he would not have wanted the festival to go ahead. He thought he could achieve this by placing the hand grenade, according to the lawyer. In addition to the prison sentence, the man will receive a probationary period of two years.