An explosion that took place at a coronavirus testing center in the Netherlands on Wednesday appears to have been targeted with a bomb, Dutch police said.
The blast took place early on Wednesday morning at a drive-through test facility in Bovenkarspel, north of Amsterdam. The incident broke several windows in the immediate vicinity, according to local media, but no injuries were reported.
Police said in a statement that a “self-manufactured object†caused the explosion. “Because the object exploded right in front of the building, the windows were probably destroyed by the blast wave,†they added.
“The explosives didn’t get there by accident, obviously,†said a police spokesperson. “We will only know what the motive was once we have identified and detained a suspect.â€
Tensions have been riding high in the Netherlands since it introduced a curfew in an effort to stem a spike in coronavirus cases, with the measure sparking riots in January. A Dutch court soon after ordered the curfew to be lifted — a decision the government overrode with emergency legislation.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the curfew would stay in place while other restrictions will be relaxed.
Eline Schaart contributed reporting.