Amsterdam News
Book a Hotel in Amsterdam (or anywhere else...)
Subscribe to Dutch Amsterdam
Amsterdam Facts
Most Popular News Articles
- Spencer Tunick Amsterdam: Nude Women on Bikes
- Amsterdam craze: tossing Smart cars into the canals
- More nudity than normal in Amsterdam, as photographer Spencer Tunick hits town
- Marijuana Is In, Tobacco Is Out Under Netherlands' Smoking Ban
- Expected... 4000 nude people + one fully dressed photographer: Spencer Tunick in Amsterdam
- Spencer Tunick: Amsterdam Nude
- Statue in honor of prostitutes unveiled
- Amsterdam Best Town To Live In Despite Top Crime Rate
- Are Amsterdam's coffeeshops about to disappear?
- In 2010, will there be no more coffeeshops in the Netherlands?
Amsterdam, July 20, 2009, DutchAmsterdam.nl — Amsterdam police has handed out 37 ‘nightlife restraining orders’ to misbehaving revelers and taxi drivers curing checks at Leidseplein and Rembrandplein this weekend.
The special restraining orders forbid entry to Amsterdam’s nightlife area from Thursday night through Sunday evening.
The orders can be applied at or around Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein an Koningsplein — three squares at the center of nightlife entertainment in Amsterdam.
Detail of photo by Thomas Schlijper
The nightlife restraining order, colloquially referred to as ‘pleinverbod‘ (square restraining order) also covers Leidsestraat, the street that connects Koningsplein and Leidseplein.
Plans for a pleinverbod were already on the table, but the measure was sped up in response to the death of a man killed by a taxi driver earlier this month.
Someone who receives a pleinverbod may not enter Amsterdam’s primary nightlife district from Thursday night through Sunday evening. Those who violate a pleinverbod will be fined, but may also face a judge.
The 37 people who received a restraining order last weekend included 20 taxi drivers and 17 members of the public. The orders were handed out for such things as public drunkenness, not following directions given by police officers, carrying forbidden knives, and violent behavior.
Police paid particular attention to the behavior of taxi drivers. Taxi drivers with a pleinverbod may not offer rides within the entertainment district. One taxi driver was arrested over the weekend for violating the order.
Extra measures against Taxi terror
Amsterdam City is also taking additional measures to combat boorish and criminal behavior among taxi drivers. It has posted guards and supervisors at the Leidseplein taxi rank.
The rank has been notorious for the gang-like behavior of some of Amsterdam’s worst taxi drivers — anything from refusing short rides to charging exorbitant rates, and from intimidating clients and drivers to, most recently, killing a potential client in an argument apparently over illegal fees.
The City will soon place a sign at the rank, informing customers of basic taxi rates.
The public and taxi drivers, minus the notorious misfits, say they are positive about the measures.
- Updated July 20, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Original content © Copyright DutchAmsterdam.nlDo not republish or repost.
Share | Email | Print | Bookmark
Read More About Amsterdam
More About This Topic
Keyword: gebiedsverbod • Koningsplein • Leidesplein • Leidsestraat and Surroundings • pleinverbod • Rembrandtplein and Surroundings • taxi
Subscribe (free) for more Amsterdam news and info
DutchAmsterdam.nl's Twitter Stream
Get the goods on Amsterdam via email
Get Amsterdam News & Information via 'RSS' News Readers Subscribe to this topic only: Amsterdam News, Leidseplein, Nightlife, Rembrandtplein and Surroundings
What else would you like to know about Amsterdam?