Amsterdam throws ass more often at crèche after Hague decision

Femke Halsema received many critics after announcing that she would not maintain the ban on the burqa. But this is certainly not the first time that Amsterdam continues to follow its own path, after a decision was made in The Hague. Sometimes with success, sometimes no.

Amsterdam remained idiosyncratic in discussions on the ban on cracks, the weed pass and the bread-bath-bed arrangement. The resistance that the then Minister of Justice, Ivo Opstelten, opposed to the introduction of the Weed Passport sparked the following statement: "Amsterdamers are also part of the country. And here too, we will introduce the measure.

Crack Prohibition
The 2009 CDA, VVD and ChristenUnie Plan to Ban Cracks caused the commotion needed in Amsterdam. From now on, cracking was forbidden. If there were cracks, the building could be evacuated. But Mayor Eberhard van der Laan did not see anything. He told AT5 : "In Amsterdam, we do not leave for a vacancy". He tried to prevent the vacancy of the buildings, but did not rule out the possibility of this occurring from time to time. The ban on cracking occurred in 2010 and Van der Laan had to bury the hatchet: "We must believe it, friends," he said at the end. then the Minister of Justice, Ivo Opstelten, charged with implementing it. But he found Van der Laan on his way. He feared that the cannabis pass would increase drug trafficking on the streets, causing "deplorable inconvenience". Opstelten said that the weed pass in Amsterdam would certainly come, but ultimately could not be up to it.

See also: Van der Laan does not see too far from the end of the pass for weeds

without a grass pass, they could buy their stuff in the cafes. In the south, the weed control has done so, if only for a short time. In 2012, when the VVD and the PvdA came to power, the pass was abolished. Stricter rules have been introduced.

Bread for bath in bed
The discussion of bread for bath in bed is fresher in memory. Van der Laan did not want to be fooled by the government's decision in 2015. In the agreement between the PvdA and the VVD in The Hague, it was agreed that only five cities could offer a repair asylum seekers who had exhausted all legal remedies. If, after a few weeks, it seems that they do not wish to cooperate with the return, they must leave the shelter.

Read also: Van der Laan: an agreement on bed, bath and bread is "in fact impracticable"

it was "impracticable" and wanted to provide shelter for refugees. He guaranteed that Amsterdam would still offer bed rolls. A majority of the city council supported Van der Laan in his fight against the Hague agreement. Recently, the bread-to-bread program in Amsterdam was replaced by a shelter open 24 hours a day.

Ban on the burqa
This is certainly not the first time that the city has set its own path, to the great frustration of The Hague. After US Secretary of State Barbara Visser, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren also criticized Halsema today. Ollongren thought that Halsema's statements were "premature". Rutte said, "Let's start by introducing the law, then the big cities will see that it also applies to them."

Read also: Halsema: "Amsterdam will not impose burqa prohibition "