Hosts in the Netherlands open in protest despite the lockdown
Restaurants, museums, theaters and cinemas are still closed in the Netherlands
Credit: AFP/MARCEL VAN HOORN
Restaurateurs in the Netherlands are fighting against the fact that their industry is initially excluded from the lifting of the nationwide lockdown. The protest action was supported in many places by the municipal administrations.
NAlmost everywhere in the Netherlands, restaurant operators flouted Corona regulations for a few hours on Saturday and opened their pubs, cafes and restaurants. The hosts were protesting that their industry was initially excluded from lifting the week-long, nationwide lockdown.
In many places, the one-time action was carried out with the consent of the municipal administrations, the ANP news agency reported. The reactions from the audience were therefore positive. “Reopening the catering trade in a controlled manner seems to me to be better than everyone having parties at home,” she quoted a visitor to a student café in Zwolle as saying.
In Utrecht, Mayor Sharon Dijksma promised to continue to work to relax the corona regulations for restaurants. In the small town of Valkenburg, Mayor Daan Prevoo reacted to a similar action on Friday by classifying it as a permitted demonstration. “Demonstrating is a fundamental right,” he told TV station WNL. Therefore, the police will not intervene.
After almost four weeks, the government in The Hague – under strong pressure from entrepreneurs – partially lifted the strict corona lockdown on Friday. Shops, hairdressers and sports clubs as well as universities have been allowed to reopen since Saturday. However, restaurants, museums, theaters and cinemas must remain closed. In view of the dramatically increased number of infections, the lockdown cannot yet be ended everywhere, explained Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “Everything at the same time is not possible, the risk is too great.” At the end of the month there may be further easing.