Authorities in the Netherlands fear that the country’s naturally occurring ice skating rinks may have to be closed this weekend due to overcrowding.
As the canals freeze over, people across the Netherlands are flocking to buy skates and head to the nearest makeshift ice rink.
While this would be perfectly fine in normal times, Dutch mayors fear that overcrowding at these rinks will lead to further cases of coronavirus in their region. The Dutch BOA Bond and the Police Union, ACP, have expressed their worries to De Telegraaf.
Crowds need to keep apart
Gerrit van de Kamp, chairman of the ACP police union, tells the Telegraaf that if people can maintain a safe distance from one another, no intervention will be necessary.
However, he believes it is likely that municipal enforcement officers (BOAs), police officers and traffic officials will have to intervene. “I estimate that this will happen in many places,” he says.
Mayors will also have to intervene
What exactly this intervention will look like, is uncertain for now. However, during the spring, Dutch mayors had to close roads to popular walking spots in order to prevent overcrowding.
Ruud Kuin, chairman of the BOA Bond, believes mayors will have to take similar measures again this weekend. If this happens, it is likely that roads and car parks near the ice rinks will be closed off to the public.
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Feature Image:Gantas Vaičiulėnas/Pexels.
Outdoors is the safest place to be. There is almost zero chance of spreading coronavirus outdoors. Closing outdoor rinks is another example of jobworths imposing their will on others because lockdown allows them to.