People walk and hold shopping bags at Kalverstraat street, in Amsterdam, on July 18, 2020, as the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region is taking additional measures due to increasing crowds in the city center with one-way traffic set up for pedestrians in locations such as the Red Light District. ANP/AFP
The Hague, July 19
Authorities in Amsterdam are urging people not to visit the city’s famous red light district and have closed off some of the historic district’s narrow streets because they are too busy.
After months of coronavirus lockdown measures, sex workers in the Netherlands were allowed to resume work on July 1 and as other restrictions also have eased, the red light district has gotten busier again.
Late Saturday night, amid fears that visitors could not maintain social distancing, Amsterdam Municipality took action, closing roads in the area and tweeting in Dutch and English: “Don’t come to the red light district. It is too busy.” — AP