Amsterdam
A Dutch filmmaker whose movie about a mistreated Muslim woman caused outrage among the nation’s Muslim community this summer was shot dead in an Amsterdam street this week. Theo van Gogh, a great-grandnephew of the painter Vincent van Gogh, directed Submission, a fictional film about a Muslim immigrant forced into an arranged marriage and repeatedly raped. The film’s screenwriter, Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali, is a conservative member of parliament who calls herself an “ex-Muslim” and often speaks out against Islam’s treatment of women. When the film was shown over the summer, Muslim activists denounced it as racist. A suspect in van Gogh’s killing was arrested near the scene of the murder, after an exchange of gunfire with police. Reports described him as a 26-year-old man of Moroccan descent.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
