An English-speaking tourist has been hailed as a hero after tackling a knifeman who stabbed five people in Amsterdam on Thursday.
Dramatic footage from the scene shows the individual pinning down the attacker and restraining him from carrying out further assaults on a busy street.
It is not yet known whether the man is a British citizen, though reports claim he spoke English.
Witnesses said the attacker was overwhelmed by bystanders before police arrived at the scene.
The suspect was tackled to the ground outside the Febo fast food restaurant, according to reports.
One Febo employee told The Independent: “Apparently some guy kicked him and broke his ankle… He got kicked down because he tried to run away.”
Dramatic footage from the scene shows the individual pinning down the attacker and restraining him
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“I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well-deserved.”
The suspect, who has been arrested, was subsequently taken to hospital with a leg injury.
Police have confirmed the attacker is not a Dutch national, though they have not specified which country he is from.
A spokesman for the Amsterdam force praised the tourist’s actions as “heroic”, according to De Telegraaf.
They added: “If you catch a suspect red-handed, you can hold him until the police arrive.”
A police spokesman also told AD: “He did a great job. We’re very proud of him, but we also want to point out that you need to be very careful if you want to make a citizen’s arrest.”
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Police arrived to find the injured people at various locations in and around Sint Nicolaasstraat
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A spokesman for the Amsterdam force praised the tourist’s actions as ‘heroic’
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His actions sparked praise on social media, with one comment saying: “Respect for this man. We need more heroes like this. A true hero.”
Another said: “Hero, this man deserves a medal!”
The five victims included a 67-year-old and a 69-year-old American duo, a 26-year-old Polish man, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam.
Police arrived to find the injured people at various locations in and around Sint Nicolaasstraat in the centre of the Dutch capital.
Dutch newspaper Het Parool reported that two people were first stabbed on a side street off the busy shopping street Nieuwendijk.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema (pictured) said a police investigation was ‘in full swing’
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The suspect then reportedly walked towards Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, where he stabbed another person on the corner of the two streets.
Another victim was stabbed closer to the square on Gravenstraat, before the suspect was arrested on Nieuwendijk.
Police cordoned off a large area around the city’s town hall in Dam Square to allow an emergency helicopter to land.
Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said yesterday that it was too early to speculate on the motive behind the attack.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema said a police investigation was “in full swing” and authorities hoped to uncover more details of what happened soon.
“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and loved ones,” she added.
