On the morning of November 2, 2004, Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, great-grandnephew of painter Vincent van Gogh, was cycling to work in Amsterdam after releasing his short film “Submission,” which criticized violence against women in some Islamic countries. Islamic extremist Mohammed Bouyeri approached him, shot him multiple times, and then tried to decapitate him by cutting his throat.
Bouyeri also stabbed him in the chest and pinned a note to his body with another knife, threatening Western countries and Jews. Dutch police arrested Bouyeri after a shootout, and a court later convicted him of murder and terrorism and sentenced him to life in prison without parole.