Sex workers in Amsterdam are rallying against proposals to transfer their renowned red light district. This move is seen by many as an attempt to reshape the city’s identity.
Dozens of protestors, with many opting to wear masks to maintain anonymity, took to the streets, marching towards City Hall. One demonstrator’s banner posed the question, “If sex workers are not to blame then why are we being punished?”
Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, has proposed the relocation of the red light district to a specially constructed “erotic centre” outside the city. Her aim is to alter Amsterdam’s “sin city” reputation, lessen tourist influx, and decrease petty crime in the vicinity.
However, the mayor’s stance has been met with resistance both from local inhabitants, who are reluctant to have the new centre nearby, and from sex workers who believe they’re wrongfully being blamed for the issues linked to their neon-lit booths.
Halsema has historically expressed her disapproval of De Wallen, the city’s long-standing red light district where sex workers await clients behind glass windows. In response to the proposed relocation, the city council has outlined three potential locations for the new erotic hub, designed to have accommodations for 100 sex workers. One worker, Lucie, labeled the relocation proposal as a “gentrification project”. She stressed that the congestion in De Wallen is not due to the sex workers, questioning why they should bear the brunt of the repercussions.
The relocation plan has even embroiled the European Medicines Agency (EMA) after it was revealed one of the proposed sites was proximate to its base. The EMA expressed concerns about the implications this could have on the safety of its late-working staff.
A petition opposing the shift and advocating enhanced crowd management and augmented police presence, especially during nighttime, has garnered support from over 20,000 signatories.
Mariska Majoor, a previous sex worker turned advocate, pointed out that such protests aren’t new, with opposition spanning over 16 years. She noted that the city’s changing justification for relocating the district went from combating human trafficking to now managing excessive tourism.
This initiative to relocate the red light district aligns with Amsterdam’s broader mission to shed its party city image. In a bid to curtail raucous tourists, the city even embarked on a “stay away” campaign, explicitly targeting British males aged 18-35.
The protest also drew locals who may find the new erotic center in their vicinity. One resident, Cynthia Cournuejouls, expressed her reservations, saying, “We don’t want the biggest brothel in Europe in our neighbourhood. We just don’t want it. We want to keep it here.”