The municipality of The Hague has refused to issue a permit for another bonfire in Scheveningen. The organisers’ solution? A torchlight procession to raise funds for next year’s permit.
The organisers of the annual bonfire have had to give up on plans for this year’s event, after still being without a permit while New Year’s Eve draws dangerously closer. They wrote on Facebook that there is no longer enough time.
Instead, a torchlight procession will travel from Van Sint Aldegondeplein to the beach of Scheveningen. 300 people will be able to carry a torch, with funds raised going towards legal aid for the application of next year’s permit.
What happened last year?
The event got out of hand last year when a mammoth bonfire of 48 metres tall. It was windy and chilly, and when the bonfire got going a rain of embers began to fall on the crowd – we wish we were kidding!
People were evacuated, bikes got partially melted, and the fire department had to put out embers that were on top of people’s roofs. Basically, it was a disaster.
After last year’s blunder, the municipality of The Hague put an end to permits for building bonfires on during the New Year.
Do you think bonfire organisers should be allowed to get a permit next year? Let us know your opinion in the comments below!