Around 150 nearby homes have been evacuated in the town of Ede while authorities deal with 'a hostage situation involving several people,' police said on X. Heavily armed police have cordoned off part of the town and urged people to 'stay away' from the area, adding: 'Stay inside and don't come and watch'. The incident is taking place in a cafe, according to Dutch news agency ANP, which cited a local official.
Police spokesperson Simon Klok told the Associated Press people were being held hostage in Ede but declined to give more details about the incident or say how many people were involved. There is no indication the hostage situation has a terrorist motive, police said in a statement on X. Images from the scene in Ede, a rural market town southeast of Amsterdam, showed police officers and firefighters on the streets in the cordoned-off area.