Hammock in Amsterdam park nearly gets man €230 fine

Anyone who hangs a hammock in an Amsterdam park could face a fine of 230 euros, Amsterdam resident Lars Duursma found out over the weekend, he told AT5.

Duursma and his girlfriend hung their hammock in Sarphatipark on Saturday. According to him, they were not drunk and did not cause any trouble. Two enforcement officers appeared and told them to remove the hammock, or face a fine of 230 euros.

The enforcement officers told them that it has been a rule for years that you are not allowed to attach anything to a tree or lamppost anywhere in the city.

The Amsterdammer quickly removed his hammock. "For that money you don't let it hang", he said to the Amsterdam broadcaster. He called this rule patronizing and arbitrary. "You're not allowed to lock bicycles to a fence, but go look for a fence in Amsterdam that does not have any bicycles attached to it."

He thinks that it is mainly people who don't have a back yard who is affected by this rule. "I certainly hope that in a city where not everyone has a garden or balcony where they can relax, people who want to cool off in the park are left alone."