Armed man takes Amsterdam hostages

An armed man has taken an unknown number of hostages today in the Rembrandt Tower office building, Amsterdam’s tallest building.

Police were negotiating with the man, said a spokeswoman at the scene.

‘‘An armed man entered the tower and is threatening people with a weapon. He won’t let them go,’’ said Elly Florax. ‘‘He’s keeping them hostage.’’

The man walked into the building shortly after it opened for business. Police cordoned off the area. Ambulances and at least four fire trucks were on stand-by about 100 yards from the building.

Some people escaped from the building and were being questioned by police. It was unknown how many people were still inside.

Rembrandt Tower overlooks the Amstel River in the eastern part of the Dutch city in a newly developed business district. At 35 stories, it is the city’s tallest building.

Among the offices in the building are Merrill Lynch, offices of the ING banking investment company, Gucci, and Rabco Securities.

Dutch TV said the man was armed with a machine gun and in a statement to the state broadcaster he said he was protesting at the ‘‘manipulation by the seller of broadband television.’’

The action could be directed against electronics giant Philips, which used to have its headquarters in the building until it moved to a nearby office bloc last year.

A woman at Rabo Securities reached by telephone in the building, said she heard that 40 hostages were being held.