The Hague, Netherlands — A car plowed into a crowd of people watching a parade in a town in the eastern Netherlands on Monday night, injuring nine people, at least three seriously, police said.
Gelderland police said on social media that the incident was immediately unintentional but was under investigation.
In the town of Nunspeet, about 80 kilometers east of Amsterdam, people waited to see a parade of vehicles decorated with Christmas lights. The nearby city of Elburg announced on social media that the parade had been canceled following the incident.
“What was supposed to be a moment of unity ended in great anxiety and sadness,” Mayor Jan-Nathan Rosendaal said in a statement.
Police said the driver, a 56-year-old woman from Nunspet, suffered minor injuries. Police said she was restrained “as is common in serious traffic accidents.” They did not provide further details.
Video from the scene posted on the website of state broadcaster NOS showed first responders and a small vehicle in a field. The car was badly damaged and the hood was left open.
