Mayors pleased by "clear rules" in new Covid-19 measures

The Netherlands' mayors are pleased with the new packet of measures the government implemented against the spread of the coronavirus on Monday. The new measures give them "clear rules" and the possibility to intervene.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Monday that all events are canceled until June 1st, that mayors are now allowed to close locations and issue fines, and that the rules for home quarantine have been tightened - you are not allowed to invite more than three people to your house.

The Security Council, which consists of 25 safety regions, is happy with this measure, Security Council chairman and mayor of Nijmegen Hubert Bruls said to RTL Nieuws. According to Bruls, the government "listened very carefully" to what the safety regions needed. ​Bruls is particularly happy that mayors can now fine people for gathering in groups.

Enforcement officers used this opportunity to again call for more resources to defend themselves, according to the broadcaster. "You will not have the best conversations on the street in the coming time. We have been talking to the Minister for a while," representative Richard Gerrits said to the broadcasters.

Enforcers have been calling to be armed with pepper spray and batons for some time. But the police and mayors have always been against it. Gerrits thinks this will now change. "The police cannot do it alone. Not now and soon not at all," Gerrits said. "The capacity is decreasing, due to sick reports. If there is a lockdown, a lot will be asked. We need each other."