More Amsterdam police at Canal Pride over threatening posts around taxi strike
The Amsterdam police will increase surveillance around Prime Amsterdam’s Canal Parade on Saturday due to threatening posts on Telegram about the announced taxi strike. Some Uber and Bolt drivers will not work in the city on Saturday. Messages on Telegram threaten drivers who do decide to accept rides, AT5 reports.
The messages threaten to “lay nails all over the streets” or throw “rotten eggs” at taxi drivers on the move.
The police told the Amsterdam broadcaster that they are aware of the messages circulating on Telegram and have increased patrols and surveillance in response. “We’ve seen it too and are taking it very seriously.”
The strike, organized by Taxi Protest Amsterdam (TPA), will take place between 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. The action group wants higher fares and less competition for Uber and Bolt drivers.
According to TPA, thousands of taxi drivers have joined the group. “They are calling on people not to take rides for Uber or Bolt and to leave the city,” TPA told the broadcaster.
TTO drivers, who are not affiliated with ride-sharing and taxi platforms, will work on Saturday so that attendees of the Canal Parade, Pride Amsterdam’s largest event, still have taxi options for getting home safely.
