“He was truly one of a kind.” With these words, the daughter of murdered journalist Peter R de Vries announced the unveiling of an extraordinary statue in the heart of Amsterdam.

Three years to the day after the celebrated journalist died – murdered probably in connection with his role in the Netherlands’ largest gangland trial – a monument to his work and life now stands.

Metres away from the Lange Leidsedwarsstraat, where de Vries was shot in the back of the head in a contract killing, the busy Leidseplein square is now dominated by a statue of two helping hands inscribed with the words which he lived by, in multiple languages.

“The monument, Against All Currents, symbolises the essence of my father,” said Kelly de Vries, his daughter. “The gesture is powerful, and full of love, and it connects us all…with the rules my father lived by, written on it in tens of languages: be who you are, hold your back straight if you need to, stand up for minorities and the less strong, say what you think truthfully and listen to your sense of justice.

“Because it doesn’t matter where in the world your roots are, your religion, how you look or who you love: we can be proud of who we are, and must always look out for each other, helping people who need help. If we can pass this on to our children, all will indeed be well.”

The statue was unveiled by four people who had been helped by de Vries: Anja Dubois, Berthie Verstappen, Corrie Groen and Yosef Tekeste Yemane, who was awarded a Dutch passport thanks to the journalist’s advocacy in the week that De Vries was murdered.

The artist Rini Hurkmans said she was inspired by public descriptions of the journalist – famous for delving into cold cases and prodding authorities.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema recalled that as a parliamentarian, she first saw the provocative and impatient side of De Vries, challenging process and the establishment, but also standing up for others. “Peter was a national hero, I said on the night that he was so cruelly shot,” she said. “And he was. A hero, but not a saint…But we lost an icon of intransigence and of steadfastness. We miss Peter and what he stood for.”

De Vries was the third person connected to the Marengo gangland trial of Ridouan Taghi and associates who was murdered, after the lawyer and brother of the crown witness. He had, unconventionally, been asked to act as a spokesman and court-appointed advisor for the crown witness Nabil B, at B’s request.

A month ago De Vries’ shooter, Delano G and driver Kamil E, were sentenced to 28 years in jail. Another man, Krystian M, was jailed for 26 years and a month, while three others were jailed for collaboration for filming the murder. Taghi is appealing a life sentence for multiple murders in the mass Marengo case.

Narco-terror

De Vries’ murder shocked the Netherlands, making headlines around the world and sparking political determination to tackle “narco-terror” connected with the international drug trade.

Her voice breaking at times, Kelly de Vries spoke to a crowd of local people and guests invited to the unveiling. She thanked everyone from the police and doctors who ensured that the family could say their goodbyes before their father died in hospital nine days after the shooting, to the neighbour who held his hand as he lay bleeding on the street, so that he was not alone.

“My dearest, most extraordinary father,” she began, and ended her speech. “My heart feels pain, pain and sorrow, but also pride. He was truly one of kind.”