Rotterdam has introduced an unprecedented nighttime ban preventing people from entering large parts of the De Esch district unless they live, work, or have another valid reason to be there.
The measure was introduced after residents endured nearly three years of street racing, drug use, intimidation, prostitution, and persistent noise from migrant youth gangs that made normal life impossible.
The measure bars anyone from entering the affected area between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless they have a specific reason to be there. Residents, their visitors, people working in the district, and those attending local businesses or events are exempt.
The order will be reviewed after three months.
Police issued more than twenty fines during the first night of enforcement, removing people who had no valid reason to be in the neighbourhood. Residents immediately reported a dramatic improvement, with many describing the first peaceful night they had experienced in years.
“I slept wonderfully,” one resident told local media, saying the constant noise of revving engines, screaming, and car horns had disappeared. Another resident said people were once again able to leave their windows open and sit on their balconies without fear of disturbance.
Mayor Carola Schouten defended the exceptional measure, saying previous attempts to restore order—including increased police patrols, road closures, concrete barriers, surveillance cameras, and bans on gatherings—had failed.
“Peace must return to De Esch, and residents must feel comfortable and safe,” Schouten said.
According to residents, the problems began shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic and steadily escalated.
Groups of young people, many reportedly arriving from outside Rotterdam, turned the neighbourhood into an unofficial racing circuit, performing dangerous stunts, dealing drugs, and engaging in prostitution. Residents also complained of intimidation, litter, and reckless driving, with some saying cars mounted pavements and forced pedestrians to jump out of the way.
One couple told De Telegraaf:
After 11 p.m., when parking becomes free, drug dealing starts, people inhale nitrous oxide from balloons, and all the rubbish is left scattered in the green spaces. It’s the most beautiful neighbourhood in Rotterdam, but on warm evenings it’s often the same story.
Another resident said to Dutch daily Trouw:
They come here to show off their expensive cars and attract attention. They travel from all over the country. Once they’re here, all hell breaks loose. They’re unbelievably brazen. They block the road with two cars, and anyone trying to pass has to wait.
Several residents said the constant disruption had left them sleep-deprived, anxious, and afraid to walk outside after dark. One woman said she no longer felt safe taking her dog out in the evening, while another resident described the neighbourhood as having become “a prison.”
Legal experts say the order is without precedent in the Netherlands. Unlike existing powers allowing authorities to ban named individuals from specific areas, the new restriction applies to anyone unable to justify their presence.
However, several residents warned that the success of the scheme will depend on sustained police enforcement. They fear the problems could simply return—or move elsewhere—once the three-month trial ends.
