Sun, 8 November 2009
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The mayor of Amsterdam has drawn up a new city plan that will close half the prostitute windows and marijuana-selling coffee shops in the city’s famous red light district.In the shadow of a 14th-century Gothic church and a stone's throw from a day care center, prostitutes flaunt their bodies in red neon-lit windows that Amsterdam city officials now plan to shutter.
The port city's brazen red-light district is one of the oldest and most picturesque areas of the famously liberal Amsterdam and draws hoards of tourists -- although most come mainly to gawk.
But Mayor Job Cohen hopes to close all 35 of the legendary "windows" on the historic Oudekerksplein (Old Church Square) by 2011, and some 200 others in nearby streets over the next 10 years.
"Things have become unbalanced," said Cohen, lamenting the spiraling organized crime attracted by the trade in soft drugs and sex, which in themselves are not illegal.
The city's new blueprint calls for replacing brothels, cannabis-vending coffee shops, sex shops and peepshows with cafes, boutiques and specialty stores.
"If we don't act now, we will never regain control," the mayor said. "At the heart of this project is our desire to drive back criminality."
Though prostitution has long been tolerated in the city -- and the "windows" long touted in guidebooks -- the Netherlands only legalized the world's oldest profession in 2000.
though I'm not condoning anything I think it is a shame that Amsterdam is bowing to the puritanical pressures of the USA and UK which have undue influence over Europe and international laws/customs. I also find fault with immigration and treaty measures that have resulted in the increased crime/danger, both for "workers" and for "clients", in Netherlands sex "industry" and for the softdrug business.
ps: it is also interesting that Charlie Geerts is the one who makes tons of money out of this deal! Everyone should know what I'm talking about! Talking about "paying ransom"?!!
And the people 'who come to gawk' spend no money then? They are not tourists?
So, slowly but surely, over the years, A'dam is losing all its individuality and tolerance. Well done Cohen - then Amsterdam will look like (and be like) every other major city in the world. Lovely. No need to waste money visiting anywhere else, seen one, seen 'em all...
Oh, and what does he propose to offer the jobless girls by way of employment?
I spent a month living in the redlight over Queensday this year. I did the same nine years ago. I must say that things have changed. Some for the better, maybe more for the worse. If I had to put my finger on any one issue that seems to trouble the neighborhood, I would say that the issue most releveant is not the prostitutes or the coffee shops, but instead it is the liquor. The place was a booze soaked drinking fest about four nights of the week, every week, and all week during Queensday.
Another thing that I noticed is that there seems to be a belief amongst a considerable number of British youth that a dinking/smoking/whoring holiday in Amsterdam is a most excellent thing, basically because Amsterdam has no rules. I think a serious campaign to disabuse them of this belief perhaps would be a good thing. Amsterdam does, and should, have rules. I would be the first one to lobby for keeping much as it is, but the out of control drinking and the foolish rowdiness that follows needs to find a solution, I think, before the change that the mayor is talking about occurs. Outlawing pot and prostitutes will not accomplish everything at all. Downsizing the footprint of these establishments will only hurt those undeserving of troubles mainly caused by booze.
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