What...well. Hold that thought.

We know exactly what's going on in Europe, and lately it's been especially spicey in Amsterdam, capital city of the Netherlands.

They have a car problem.

Europeans cars drive into crowds, and now they have cars that try to blow themselves up in the middle of public squares packed with people going about their day.

You can see the small explosion in the little red Fiat-looking car in the bottom right of the screen, just to the left of the monument.

Looks like a failed bomb attack on #damsquare in #amsterdam? But see for yourself!#carbomb #fire #bombattack #amsterdam #damsquare pic.twitter.com/5pWGep49Vj

— SR (@Sietzer) April 3, 2025

There's a hint of smoke, it kind of goes 'poof,' the hood blossoms behind the umbrella of the folks in front of it, and then birds and people scatter like crazy. 

I mean, when you see the number of folks right next to the vehicle and think, what could have happened? Holy crap.

Police in Amsterdam, Netherlands suspect this was a failed VBIED terrorist attack.

A car is on fire after a small explosion in the main square of the city - the same place where multiple people were stabbed earlier this week. #CityLife #enrichment #islam #jihad #caliphate… pic.twitter.com/YbcOqvFHgU

— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) April 3, 2025

Some folks did get hit with debris like glass from the vehicle, but no injuries from any of it.

...One eyewitness called Willem said he was just three meters away from being hit by the car as he crossed the road shortly before the explosion.

"The glass flew into our necks," Willem told De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper.

He turned around and saw the car on fire with the driver still inside: "It was quite unreal, because he was on fire. He was in that burning car and climbed out himself and started walking around crazily."

What a frickin' miracle this one was a misfire and only set the failed terrorist aflame.

Video emerging from the scene showed the small red vehicle engulfed in flames, with reports the driver crawled out of the vehicle alight before members of the public ran to assist the dazed driver.

Thick smoke could be seen billowing into the sky, with passers by unsure of the events unfolding in front of them - as locals ran from the scene.

Further footage of the incident showed the dazed driver clambering from the vehicle, trousers around his ankles, as emergency services arrived on the scene.

It's believed no other people were injured in the incident, with the driver receiving medical attention at the scene before being taken to hospital.

I would have to believe that the 'I dropped my cigarette lighter' explanation probably wouldn't fly if the fellow tried it.

...CCTV footage shows the red car bursting into flames but failing to explode. The driver subsequently exited the vehicle while he was burning alive. 

"He set himself on fire. I saw how he got out of the burning car. His pants hung down to his ankles. He stumbled in his underpants. The fire brigade extinguished him. He was then taken away by ambulance," one eyewitness told De Telegraaf. 

"He had done this himself. You don't get such a big fire from a cigarette that falls in the car. It was really intense to see," said another. 

Dutch police confirmed the man had been arrested and was under police guard in hospital.

Besides, Dutch police have already basically acknowledged there were both intent and flammable substances in the vehicle, and they are digging into the details of both.

...Amsterdam Police said of the incident: "We suspect the driver caused the fire himself. In this case, intent is taken into account. The driver was injured.

"CCTV footage shows the fire on Dam Square started after an explosion in the car. At that time, quite a few people were near the vehicle. As far as is known, no one was injured.

"To be certain which potentially flammable substances are in the car on Dam Square, we are still conducting an investigation with an Explosives Safety Team Leader."

As several of the Xweets have mentioned, it was less than a week ago that a Ukrainian maniac ran through this very same square, slashing and stabbing randomly with a knife. Five people, including two older American tourists, were injured, and a couple required hospitalization for their wounds.

A brave British tourist charging after the attacker was the only thing that stopped the rampage.

A British tourist has been hailed a hero after chasing down a knifeman who stabbed five people in a terrifying rampage in central Amsterdam.
The unnamed man, believed to be in his 30s, sprinted after the Ukrainian attacker near Dam Square and brought him to the ground with a… pic.twitter.com/AGlJaTgzJ5

— Wayne. (@Wayne57072607) April 1, 2025

Amsterdam seems to be having a moment and no one is singing 'Kumbayah'...

They are. Antisemitism is going mainstream in The Netherlands, politicians looking the other way, universities cutting ties with Israeli institutions etc. It's disgraceful in particular given the history. I grew up calling Amsterdam 'Mokum'. No more.

— Pieter Dorsman (@PieterDorsman) April 3, 2025

...or anything about buying the world a Coke.

Part of the problem seems to be that a good chunk of the world is already in the Netherlands as a percentage of their population.

One can calculate a given person's contribution to the state budget by adding up all their contributions (revenue) and subtracting all of their costs. Doing so gives a net contribution metric. Dutch people are c. net 0, and the others groups net negatives. pic.twitter.com/dVNIdoATUD

— Emil Kirkegaard (@KirkegaardEmil) January 10, 2025

The other part of the problem is not only that many of these immigrants don't feel like they have to become Dutch. They don't particularly feel as if they have to like them to live off the Dutch state.

I'm not sure I'd be anywhere near that square until things settle down.