Bouyeri grew weary of attacks on Islam in the Netherlands and took matters into his own hands. On November 2, 2004, while Van Gogh was bicycling to work, Bouyeri opened fire and wounded the filmmaker. Van Gogh tried to elude his attacker by running around a parked car, all the while pleading for his life, but to no avail. Bouyeri fired the final shots that killed Van Gogh and then approached his body, cut his throat with a small machete, and drove a knife deep into his corpse. Attached to the knife was a note that included threats to Van Gogh’s collaborator, Hirsi Ali, accusing her of operating as an "infidel fundamentalist" who "terrorizes Islam."

Builds on: "Fortuyn's assassin was an animal rights activist, not a Muslim."

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 382