Five hurt, two seriously injured in mass stabbing attack in Amsterdam

Incredible footage has emerged of a British man performing a citizen’s arrest and taking out the person allegedly responsible for going on a stabbing spree in Amsterdam. See the video.

Amsterdam police have hailed a British man who took out the knife-wielding assailant allegedly responsible for a stabbing spree as a hero.

Viral social media footage shows the Brit pinning down the man as he waits for police to arrive.

Dutch media have identified the man as being British with De Telegraaf quoting a spokesperson for the Amsterdam police force who labelled his actions “heroic”.

This guy stopped the knifeman in Amsterdam before the police arrived. Europe desperately needs more guys like him. A true hero. pic.twitter.com/JQITVuF7Ke

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) March 27, 2025

The man injured five people, two seriously, in a stabbing attack in the heart of Amsterdam, Dutch police said, before he was overpowered by the bystander then taken into custody.

Police had earlier given a toll of four seriously wounded, but confusion appeared to have resulted from the fact the suspect himself was also hurt.

“Update: in the stabbing incident this afternoon, there were not four but five people wounded. In addition, the suspect himself is also injured,” Amsterdam police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

Medical staff assist one a person wounded during a stabbing attack in Amsterdam. Picture: AFP

Police declined to give any indication as to a motive for the stabbings on Thursday local time near the Dam Central Square, saying their investigation was underway.

“The suspect was overpowered with the help of a citizen. Due to an injury to his leg, he has been taken to hospital,” authorities said.

A police spokesman had earlier told reporters the suspect was receiving medical care and would be questioned at a later stage.

Police cordon the area near the central Dam Square in Amsterdam. Picture: AFP

Four of the five people injured in the shocking incident are foreign nationals, Dutch police said.

The victims include a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, both American; a 26-year-old man from Poland; a 73-year-old woman from Belgium; and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam, according to a police statement.

Authorities had sent a trauma helicopter to the square to attend to the injured. The two seriously injured are currently being treated in hospital, police said.

The police spokesman was unable to give information about the condition of the wounded.

An AFP reporter on the scene said the casualties had been evacuated from the location but there was still a heavy police presence and ambulances were also on hand.

Police officers speak with people in the area near the central Dam Square in Amsterdam. Picture: AFP

Early images from local news agency ANP showed a person on a stretcher being loaded into the back of an ambulance.

Public broadcaster NOS showed images of police pushing someone on a stretcher while they were hooked up to an intravenous drip.

According to local media reports, Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema left a meeting in the town hall when news of the attack broke.

The police urged anyone with images of the incident to upload them as evidence. They also called on people to avoid the area and let them carry out their investigation.

Local media outlet Het Parool cited a witness, Marco Schoenmaeckers, as saying that he saw one of the victims.

“I saw a knife of at least 10 centimetres (nearly four inches) sticking out of the girl’s back, between her shoulders,” Het Parool quoted Schoenmaeckers as saying.

– AFP