Early closing times in the Red Light District in Amsterdam may remain 21:11 in Regional News Entrepreneurs and sex workers feel that they are the victims of the early closing times and have taken the matter to court.

The municipality of Amsterdam may maintain the early closing times in the Red Light District. This has been determined by the preliminary relief judge in the capital.

Since the beginning of this month, window prostitution in the Red Light District has had to stop three hours earlier on weekends, at 03:00 instead of 06:00. Cafes must close at 2 a.m. and are not allowed to admit new guests from 1 a.m. The adjusted times are part of the measures to combat the crowds and nuisance in the city center.

Entrepreneurs and sex workers believe that they are the victims of the early closing times, even though they are not causing the nuisance. They went to the preliminary relief judge two weeks ago.

The lawyer for the entrepreneurs and sex workers emphasized that the municipality brought the nuisance on itself by campaigning for years to get more tourists to the city. The entrepreneurs would now be disadvantaged by the new opening hours, while the municipality itself would have caused this.

But the municipality argued during the lawsuit that the campaigns were never aimed at getting tourists to come to the Red Light District, writes NH News.

Dilapidation

The judge ruled that the importance of a safe and liveable Red Light District outweighs the interest of the entrepreneurs and cited two reports in this regard describing the situation in the Red Light District: “On the basis of these reports, among other things, it must be concluded that this area is it is decaying and is no longer pleasant and safe to live in,” said the judge.

The entrepreneurs’ lawyer tells AT5 to hope that mayor Halsema and the council will reverse the decision. “But given the firm positions during the session, you may wonder whether that will happen,” said the lawyer.