Sex Workers in Amsterdam Protest Relocation of Iconic Red-Light District
In the capital of the Netherlands, sex workers marched to the city hall to protest the relocation of the famous Red-Light District to a new suburban erotic centre outside the city, as reported by NL Times.
Carrying slogans such as 'Save Us, Save Our Windows!' sex workers, along with entrepreneurs and residents of the globally renowned district, joined the demonstration against the municipality's plans to move the public houses with open windows to a suburban erotic centre.
The march concluded at the city hall, where demonstrators presented a petition to the municipal councils near the statue of the philosopher Spinoza. According to the organizers, the manifesto primarily emphasizes 'preserving the Red-Light District' within the city of Amsterdam.
Sex workers have asserted their disinterest in moving and appealed to the city council members for a listening ear. Residents of the Red-Light District and other inhabitants of the North and South districts, where the Erotic Center might be located, also predominantly expressed their opposition to this proposal.
The new suburban Erotic Center is intended to provide employment for around a hundred sex workers from the North or South districts and replace a portion of the windows in the Red-Light District. The council aims to improve the working conditions of sex workers, reduce congestion and nuisances in the Red-Light District, and combat criminality.
In reality, there are three such districts in Amsterdam, with 'De Wallen' or 'Rosse Buurt' in the city centre being the largest and most famous. It receives approximately 900,000 visitors per week during the season. The area is also home to around 8,600 residents and 6,145 households.
Local residents sometimes refer to De Wallen as the 'square mile of misery' due to cases of human trafficking, exploitation, other criminal elements, and the inconveniences brought about by excessive tourism and minor offenders.
Despite the belief of many visitors that Amsterdam upholds a 'anything goes' policy, the city is actively considering options to reduce the number of brothels, pornography-related establishments, and cannabis cafés. The discussed possibilities include relocating brothels further away from the city centre and closing cafés.