Criticism of Corona measures
Unusual cultural protest: Dutch people have their hair cut in the concert hall
Cultural protest in the Netherlands: Customers get a new haircut, classical music is playing in the background.
© Peter Dejong / DPA
The corona measures have been relaxed in the Netherlands – but not everyone benefits from them. The culture industry feels disadvantaged and called for an unusual protest action on Wednesday.
Manicures in the Van Gogh Museum, a new haircut in the concert hall or a massage in the theater: the Dutch cultural sector drew attention to itself with an unusual protest on Wednesday. True to the motto: If hairdressers, nail salons and the like are allowed to open, then we’ll just redesign our facilities.
Customers were able to get their nails done at the Van Gogh Museum in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam on Wednesday.
© Peter Dejong / DPA
By transforming dozens of museums, concert halls and theaters into hair salons and gyms, cultural figures wanted to draw attention to what they felt was incomprehensible closures in the industry. “We wanted to make it clear that it’s safe to visit the museum and that we need to be open,” said Van Gogh Museum director Emilie Gordenker.
Culture protest in the Netherlands: dozens of institutions took part
Around 70 institutions took part in the day of action – and with them a number of Dutch people who booked an appointment. Max Smit also came to defend culture. “I think big institutions with big, open spaces like the Van Gogh Museum should be able to reopen,” said the 32-year-old.
Shops, gyms, hairdressers and sex shops were allowed to reopen last Saturday for the first time since December 19. However, bars, restaurants, cafés and cultural institutions must remain closed until at least January 25th. Restaurants and cafés in several cities were still open at the weekend. In view of the dramatically increasing number of infections, more sectors could not be opened at the same time, said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “You can’t do everything at the same time, the risk is too great.”
Although many Dutch mayors showed understanding for the cultural sector, some municipalities took action against institutions: According to the newspaper “NRC Handelsblad”, some cultural institutions received warnings, and in some places the protest action was ended prematurely.