Police are making an urgent appeal to witnesses to the aggravated assault of 14-year-old Frédérique to contact him. Frédérique was assaulted on Monday afternoon by a group of young people after she did not forcibly reveal her gender. She broke her nose, lost several teeth and a bruised jaw.
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The assault happened around 2.15 pm in a playground on Albert van Dalsumlaan and Caro van Eyckhof in Amstelveen. Frédérique was approached on the Westwijkplein by several boys. “One of them asked her, ‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ Then she replied, “It doesn’t matter, does it?” Then he shouted the question again and she said: ‘I am who I am and you can be whoever you want to be,'” father Paul Brink told AT5/NH News.
Although she decided to run away, Frédérique was followed by the boys. At the height of the playground suddenly other boys arrived. The group punched her in the face several times, resulting in serious injuries. She is being treated in hospital for her injuries.
underage
According to the police, it would be four or five suspects, presumably between the ages of 11 and 15. A specific description will only be shared once the camera images have been analysed, but yesterday it was revealed that one of them was wearing a gold/yellow fanny pack and another in purple shorts.
Father Paul says he is surprised that Frédérique was mistreated just because she did not want to reveal her gender. “There was no quarrel or anything, nothing. I am sad for Frédérique because she is in so much pain, but I am also sad for the perpetrator that he reacts this way. I only have doubts about it.”
To give evidence
Witnesses can report on 0900-8844 or anonymously on 0800-7000. People who have footage of the abuse or the suspects, such as cameras or dashcam images, are also urgently called upon to share it with the police.
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