On Saturday, September 11, people across the Netherlands took to the streets to demand that nightlife be reopened— and according to organisers, it was the largest protest in the country to date.
150,000 people reportedly marched in ten cities, 80,000 of which in Amsterdam alone, also taking to the larger provinces of The Hague, Eindhoven, Groningen, and Utrecht following an earlier protest in August. ‘Unmute Us!’ sparked international attention, with an aim to call attention to the plight of the nightlife industry.
The protest demanded that the Dutch government to amend COVID restrictions in the country after noting the successful reopening of clubs elsewhere in Europe.
On June 26, the nightlife industry swung open the doors to club-goers in the Netherlands after a year and a half, before subsequently closing within weeks after reports of COVID outbreaks linked to nightclubs and venues.
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The coronavirus rates in the Netherlands plateaued in early August, and haven’t risen in over four weeks. Currently, almost 70% of the population have received their first jab, while 63% are now fully vaccinated.
