Clubs and venues across the Netherlands will reopen in defiance of the country’s COVID-19 beginning on February 12th.
Launched earlier this week, De Nacht Staat Op (“The Night Is On” in English) is a campaign organized by nightlife groups Natchtbeland and the OAC (Council of Amsterdam Clubs). The group represents dozens of club owners around the country who are fed up with COVID-19 restrictions forcing them to shut their doors. “The Night has been closed for too long. That is why we, as clubs and nightlight companies, take action together,” they write in their Instagram bio.
Members of the group feel that the Dutch government largely ignores their concerns. Speaking to Resident Adviser, club owner Vincent Reinders said the establishment was “facing bankruptcy” because it could only open past midnight a total of three times in the past two years. “And our prime minister had the nerve to tell us ‘to become more creative’ last week,” he said.
If the venues follow through on their promise, they’ll be breaking COVID-19 rules that force them to shut down. This is in spite of loosening restrictions for bars, cafes, and restaurants. Dutch citizens have faced some of the strongest lockdowns in the world throughout the pandemic.
On February 7th, 2022, cases in the Netherlands hit a new high of 79,400. About 86% of citizens are fully vaccinated.
