In the morning of March 13, 1978, at 9:45AM three South-Moluccans seized the province hall in Assen, the Netherlands. Some of the people inside could escape by jumping out of the window, including the Queen's Commissioner of the Drenthe province. 15 women and 55 men were taken into hostage.
They demanded the release of 21 prisoners who were involved in earlier hijacks and free transport to Schiphol airport and out of the country. Ultimatum was set for March 14 at 14:00.
After a few hours, hostage Ko de Groot was executed in front of a window and thrown out, to prove the hijackers were serious. A photographer was wounded and an ambulance trying to get to the body of Ko de Groot was shot at.
During the night the marines of the BBE forced their way into the basement. The next day, March 14, at 14:34 they raided the building from outside and from the basement. It was just after the attackers decided to shoot two of the politicians and then planned to shoot one hostage each 30 minutes.
During the raid one hostage got wounded and later died.