After Fouad L.’s attack roughly 18 months ago, the Education Centre at Erasmus MC – once an open space with towering bookshelves – has been transformed into a maze of barriers. Behind the white wall, construction work is still underway to restore the space to its original state.

On Thursday afternoon, 28 September 2023, the attack at Erasmus MC took place, claiming the life of medical lecturer Jurgen Damen. The suspect, Fouad L., also set fire to the Education Centre and had earlier in the day shot his neighbour and her daughter. This coming Monday, 27 January, Fouad L. will stand trial in the Rotterdam court. The proceedings will continue until 31 January.

Etched in memory

Although students find themselves in the midst of ongoing construction, it seems to cause them little inconvenience. In one of the study cubicles, second-year student Mehmet is chatting with his group during lunch. At the time of the attack, he was a first-year medical student, just three weeks into his studies. Mehmet realises that the renovation of the Education Centre is a direct consequence of the attack. “Occasionally, you’re reminded of it when you walk around here, but it’s not something I dwell on.”

Still, that day is etched in his memory. “I was standing at my locker when I heard a loud bang”, he recalls, pointing towards a hallway with lockers near the entrance. Initially, he thought the sound came from students playing a prank. “But someone next to me immediately ran away.” When he saw flames and police in riot gear storming in, he understood the gravity of the situation. He ran towards the Museumplein exit, where he tried to assist others. “People were jumping out of windows, and along with others who were already outside, I tried to catch them.”

Support from each other

In the weeks following the attack, students say they relatively quickly felt safe again in the Education Centre. After a few weeks, they were back lounging on the brown sofas by the large windows and grabbing cheese toasties from ‘t Vat café next to the seating area. “The incident did leave its marks”, says master’s student Younes, leaning on a white table where his lunch rests, glancing around. “But for me, the Education Centre still feels like a second home.” The two fellow students next to him nod in agreement.

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The sense of security stems partly from the support students received from one another. “In my study group, we regularly talked about how we felt”, says student Justin, taking off his headphones and closing his laptop. “I know someone who experienced study delays because of the incident, but overall, things seem to be going well with most students now.”

Students are also positive about the faculty’s response after the incident. A buddy programme was set up within a day, and students were given opportunities to talk with academic counsellors or student psychologists. “I thought it was very well organised. We were promptly informed about initiatives and where to go if we needed help”, recalls second-year student Hannah. “I didn’t need it myself, but several of my fellow students participated in the buddy programme. I noticed that some people had a lot to share, and it was great that they had this opportunity.”

‘An appropriate punishment’

Most students no longer follow the news about Fouad L.’s trial closely. “I kept track for a while, but then it faded from my mind”, says Hannah. “I didn’t even know he was standing trial next week.”

What concerns students most is how Fouad L.’s mental health will influence the verdict. “I hope he gets an appropriate punishment. His sentence will probably be reduced because the lawyer will spin a sob story”, says Younes.

Justin shares similar views. “I’ve discussed this with my study group. We’re sceptical about the Dutch legal system. We often see cases where sentences seem too lenient. Honestly, that worries me, especially since he has a mental disorder.” He fears this will weigh too heavily in the upcoming trial. “It feels like that’s often used as an excuse, leading to someone ending up in a psychiatric institution and that being the end of it, even though this was a huge incident with a significant impact on many people.”

The lunch break ends, and the Education Centre begins to empty. Students pack their bags and disappear into classrooms within the building. Second-year student Ismaël summarises his peers’ hopes as he heads to class: “I just hope for a fair verdict – that the perpetrator gets what he deserves. And that those who experienced it up close can feel some sense of justice. I think victims and their families will find more peace if the verdict meets their expectations.”

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