The death of René Steegmans (January 1, 1980 – October 24, 2002) was a violent crime which occurred in Venlo, Netherlands, on October 22, 2002, which drew national attention for being an act of senseless violence.
Steegmans addressed two youths for driving recklessly past an old lady on their scooter. According to witnesses he asked for some respect for the elderly. Eighteen-year-old Khalid Lakhlifi and Sylvio Richters then attacked Steegmans, kicking and beating him several times. Witnesses did not intervene. Steegmans was hospitalised with brain damage at the Radboud Medical Centre in Nijmegen, where he died a day later. Interview ouders René Steegmans, Dagblad de Limburger, October 19, 2012, De stille getuigen van Venlo, Zembla, January 9, 2003 , Hoe is het toch met: Joan Haanappel, ouders Rene Steegmans, Frank en Mirella, Evangelische Omroep, April 7, 2011
A silent march was organised to commemorate his death. Khalid was later sentenced to eight years in prison and involuntary commitment. Sylvio, who did not fight but only encouraged Khalid, was sentenced to twelve months of youth detention, of which 6 months on probation. Acht jaar cel en tbs voor Venlose Khalid L., de Volkskrant, April 26, 2003 The violent death of René Steegmans, combined with the Moroccan, Muslim background of the main perpetrator, and along with his parents' comment that „it had been the will of Allah”, caused a national discussion on integration, Woede richt zich op jonge Marokkanen, Trouw, October 26, 2002 Ouders van Marokkaanse verdachte schokken Venlo, De Standaard, October 28, 2002 Reframing Dutch Culture: Between Otherness and Authenticity, Peter J. Margry, Herman Willem Roodenburg, 2007, page 170 and senseless violence. Eis 10 jaar cel en tbs tegen moordenaar René Steegmans, RTL Nieuws, April 15, 2003 Verdachten doodslag René Steegmans blijven in de cel, Algemeen Dagblad, January 24, 2003
In popular culture The death of René Steegmans was described in the 2004 number 1 hit single zinloos (English: senseless) by Lange Frans & Baas B, which described several acts of senseless violence.
References