Posted on 10/24/2002 4:20:40 PM PDT by knighthawk
Because he demanded respect for elderly people, the 22 year old René Steegmans from Venlo was assaulted and later died of the wounds he recieved. Doctors declared him clinicly dead already yesterday. After the assault, the two perpetrators did some shopping at the store where in front of it the victim spoke to them after they almost ran over an elderly woman with their scooter.
They bought, amongst other things, snacks for a party. At the counter one of them said: "I think I beaten him half-dead". The 18 year old boys, one of Dutch origin, and one of Moroccan origin, are already known by the police for their criminal past. They were arrested in the store. They will be taken to be procecuted tomorrow. They will be accuitted for death though violence.
Storemanager A. Peters puts flowers on the ground at the spot where Steegmans Tuesday was assaulted. He sees the faces op the attackers. "They did not show any trace of emotion. As if it was normal."
The perpetrators speeded across the parking in front of the store with their scooter. They almost hit an elderly woman. René Steegmans adressed the boys about their behavior with the words: "Have a little respect for elderly people". One of the boys (guess which one, answer follows later) dealt a blow to Steegmans. Even after he fell to the ground, Steegmans recieved several kicks. When he stopped moving, the perpetrators left the victim behind bleeding.
An emergency helicopter transported the victim to the Radboud-hospital in Nijmegen where the doctors said René Steegmans was already clinicly dead.
A day after the crime there is much dissappointment at the parking in front of the store. The place where Steegmans was assaulted has been marked by the police. A lot of visitors stand still and speak about their inability to do anything. Some are angry no one helped when it happened, while about 20 people were withness to the assault. "The people just stood there, they also are guilty", an angry woman says. After talks with the family it was decided there will be a silent march. The parents do not want to talk to the media. "I am not capable yet", according the father of René.
In front of the store more people speak about that no one hepled Steegmans. A 22 year old man says he would have certainly have helped. "When a few people decide to help, something like this does not happen. It is unimaginable that people did not act."
According the manager of the store the withnesses didn't even got the time to react. For that the assault took too short. Also the people were in total shock. "Most people directly called the police. That is also what police advises: do not interfear, but call 112."
A friend of the woman who was almost hit by the two boys, confirms she was so shocked that she couldn't even move. To conquer her fear, she went to the store today. Her friend doesn't dare to leave the house. "Of course I wanted to help the boy, but I just didn't dare to do it."
According the woman the other people also didn't took action because one of the attackers was from Moroccan origin. "You can take on one of them, but they will come back with 10 or 20 of them. They always know where to find you. If the attacker was a Dutch boy, people would have certainly acted. There is a lesson to be learned."
The Moroccan community in Venlo reacted shocked. Mohammed Loufit, from the foundation Moroccan Activity Centrum and chairman of the mosque in Venlo: "Such a sad act could have been done by some one from every society and with any nationality. I hope the family of the victim thinks about that. The first generation Moroccans never caused trouble. The suspect was born in the Netherlands. He is from the second generation, I know his parents well. They cannot sleep because their son was involved with such a thing. They think it is very bad."
Mayor J. Schrijen from Venlo was very troubled yesterday. He spoke about 'disbelieve, astonishment, the feeling of being powerless and anger'. "I can imagine that people were in shock and could not move. I don't know how I would act as a citizen."
The mayor spoke to the parents of the victim yesterday. the citycouncil Venlo want to speak as soon as possible with spokespeople from the Moroccan society in the city. Youths from Moroccan origin cause problems in several places in Limburg (province) for a long time.
This morning the citycouncil placed flowers at the store at the Sinselveldstreet, in honor of the victim. At the website (http://www.venlo.nl/) people can post their reaction.
The National Foundation Against Pointless Violence wants a public debate about agression and violence. Spokesman Bart Wisburn: "This can only be achieved as all parties take part, take responsibility and give financial aid. Today a lot of parties are talking about morals and values, but we need to act now. Not only the politicians need to give their priority, but everyone is resonsible.
-the Moroccan boy was the one who beat up Steegmans. He knocked him on the ground, gave him some punches (while the victim lay on the ground) in the face and kicked the victim three times in the back of the head.
His Dutch friend said that he went to far, but both went to shop.
Steegmans recieved first aid from one of the withnesses (who I got this info from).
I was shocked the reaction of the media. One of the withnesses was asked why he did not help Steegmans.
Why?
Because if you do, you will be dragged to court and be punished much more severly than the criminals! This happens a lot when people stop criminals, like a month ago in Amsterdam, where two employees of a store halted a robber. The robber wanted both men arrested too, and police did!
Because you will be labeled a racist and be dragged into court for that one too!
Because (as mentioned in the article) the Moroccan will call his friends, and they will come directly (no working obligations) to help their partner in crime. Also they will keep terrorzing you and police will not act against it.
Because there is a big chance the perpetrators will draw a knife or gun. Weapon laws only work one way in the Netherlands. Criminals are free to arm themselves. He will kill you to and get a few years in jail.
There is a commercial mentioned in the article, about calling '112'. It is about when you withness such a crime. It askes the people not to act directly, but to call police (112), wait(!) and stay with the victim!
The guilty ones are the politicians! They disarmed the people, who can only watch while criminals roam free and are armed while the police only do speed-controls! They took away the right to self-defence and gave criminals more rights than honest people!
The leftists who always fight for the rights of criminals and label the victims as the ones who asked to be beaten up for making racist remarks! They do not care a bit for the victims, but only to get the criminals free.
The left removed the right of safety from the consitution. They are the ones we should blame! But now they pretend to care and wanting to stop this violence, while at the same time protect the criminals.
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The Netherlands blew it years ago.
Be that as it may, it seems like an awful lot of them have a common source of origin.
knighthawk, please tell me there are more like you in the Netherlands.
Has your country become so terminally politically correct that this is the prevailing attitude?
This is the left's version of the dream they have for our country...
Sounds like Venlo.
And it's a shame Stoiber was not voted. He would know how to deal with thugs.
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