Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has proposed to close the largest and oldest red-light district, De Wallen, one of the main Amsterdam attractions, according to The Guardian. The proposal was supported by representatives of many political parties. All women working in the quarter are planned to be moved to another location. Probably, a new district will be specially built for this, but where exactly is still unknown.
According to the authorities, the new measure is explained not only by the need to change the image of Amsterdam, but also by the concern for sex workers who are subjected to abuse. For this reason, from January 2020, excursions to the red light district, during which tourists idly looked at the windows, have been prohibited. The next stage is to move women to another place.
Not all sex workers are happy about this: a recently formed advocacy group called Red Light United says 90% of the 170 women surveyed would like to continue hosting clients in their cabins in Da Wallen. In their opinion, moving is not an option: disgruntled sex workers are interested in how clients will look for them. Maybe the mayor is organizing bus transportation to the new area?
Historically, the Amsterdam red-light district consists of three districts: Singelgebid, Ruisdalcade and De Wallen, the latter of which is the oldest and largest.