Amsterdam’s municipality has just extended its existing security measures until January 2, 2026, and expanded its “high-risk zone” to cover even more of the city centre.
Helaas, it looks like Amsterdam’s controversial high-risk zone isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The city’s veiligheidsrisicogebied or “safety risk area” was scheduled to expire this Sunday (October 26), but ongoing gun-related incidents have convinced city officials to keep the measure in place.
READ MORE | Amsterdam’s city centre now has a “high-risk zone”: Here’s what that means for you
It’s back, and even bigger than before
The original zone applied primarily to Amsterdam’s Burgwallen Oudezijde-Noord area, but it has now been expanded to include Koepelkwartier, Nieuwendijk, and surrounding areas.
This means that the high-risk zone currently applies to the following parts of Amsterdam:
- Oudezijds Achterburgwal (the northern section),
- Damrak,
- Nieuwendijk,
- Prins Hendrikkade,
- Geldersekade,
- Nieuwmarkt (including underground metro stations),
- Kloveniersburgwal (the northern section),
- Spuistraat (the northern section),
- Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, and
- Koepelkwartier.
What can I expect?
The previous conditions still apply, so if you happen to live in any of the aforementioned areas, you can expect an increased police presence.
Officers in the safety zone will also conduct extensive security screenings, with the municipality noting that “all persons and vehicles within the cordoned-off area are checked.”
If you’re walking through these areas or taking the metro, you may need to factor some additional time into your commute.
How do you feel about Amsterdam’s high-risk zone? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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