Controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot dead this morning.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Controversial Dutch filmmaker and newspaper columnist Theo van Gogh, who made a film about violence against women in Islamic societies, was murdered in Amsterdam on Tuesday morning, police said.
Amsterdam police said Van Gogh had been stabbed and shot in the center of the city. Some Dutch media said Van Gogh had been planning to make a film about anti-immigration populist Pim Fortuyn, who was gunned down by an animal rights activist in May 2002. Van Gogh received death threats after “Submission” was broadcast earlier this year.(more)
I am shocked. Though, he WAS very controversial – he tackled subjects no one dared to burn their fingers on – I never expected this. He had a lot of enemies, received hate mail, death treats, but he laughed all the danger away. He did not want protection of any type. “I live in the Netherlands,” he said, “You can have an opinion here, there’s not censorship, we have freedom of speech!” … I am afraid ‘Freedom of Speech’ died a bit today, too…
update @ 4 PM The killer has dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. F*ck. I hoped it was ‘just’ an idiot, a psycho. Now the whole brutal killing gets a scary undertone of Islamic extremism (terrorism?)
update @ 6.30 PM Today it is exactly 911 days ago that Pim Fortuyn was murdered… And 11/2 is the Dutch emergency phone number… (coincidence? conspiracy?)
update @ 8 PM 20.000 people gathered at Dam Square in Amsterdam to commemorate Theo van Gogh. Not in silence, but with a lot of noise. A loud tribute to freedom of speech!!!
update @ 7 AM The suspect arrested for the killing of Theo van Gogh had ties with Islamic extremists and was a friend of a terrorist suspect, Dutch newspapers said on Wednesday. (more)
