73 tons of waste removed after Amsterdam Canal Parade

73 tons of waste have already been removed from Amsterdam city center after the Canal Parade, a spokesperson for the city council reports. This is more than last year when 53 tons of waste were collected around the same time.

According to the spokesperson, there was also a lot of glass among the waste. Last year, however, there were fewer bottles and glass on the streets than the year before.

The cleaners started cleaning the streets on Saturday evening after the Canal Parade. A Waternet boat has been emptying the canals since Sunday morning. There was "quite a lot of garbage in the water, similar to last year," said a spokesman. The cleaning crew has fished out cans, plastic, inflatable dolphins, disco balls, and parking signs from the canal water, among other things. Waternet expects them to be busy cleaning the canals until at least Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people came to Amsterdam to attend the 27th edition of the Canal Parade. 80 boats sailed from the Oosterdok via the Nieuwe Herengracht, Amstel, and Prinsengracht towards the Westerdok. Many people stood on the side, and residents decorated their canal houses with rainbow colors. Organiser Pride Amsterdam said on Saturday that the parade had gone smoothly.

The annual Pride in Amsterdam should be seen as a message of love for our loved ones and also for those who are further away from us "but face similar challenges due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, or diversity in gender development," according to initiators of the popular event.