Vondelpark and surrounding streets declared nuisance area to curb crime and disorder

The city of Amsterdam plans to step up measures against rising "nuisance, intimidation, and drug dealing" in Vondelpark. To this end, the park and nearby streets will be designated as a nuisance area, according to a letter sent by the Zuid district administration to local residents.

Amsterdam’s city center has, for some time, been designated a nuisance area. This status gives the police, municipal authorities, and the judiciary greater powers to take action.

Under these rules, police can expel individuals from the area for 24 hours, or for 72 hours if the nuisance involves drug dealing. For repeat offenders, the mayor has the authority to bar them from the area for an extended period.

Amsterdam has applied this status for some time in other parts of the city, including Oosterpark, Sarphatipark, the Da Costabuurt, the area around Sloterdijk station, and parts of the Bijlmer (near the Johan Cruijff Arena).

These measures will now apply not just to Amsterdam’s city center but also to Vondelpark and its surrounding streets. The district says this is needed because nuisance-causing individuals "significantly affect the park’s livability and visitors’ sense of safety."

Vondelpark and its surroundings see "frequent drug use and sales," according to Amsterdam’s Municipal Gazette, along with disturbances caused by alcohol consumption, street robberies, fights, and assaults. "There are groups of individuals who are hard to engage with," the city adds.

In late 2025, entrepreneurs and hospitality businesses in and around Vondelpark sent an urgent letter to Mayor Halsema. They described a spate of burglaries, with some premises hit as many as four times within three weeks. Entrepreneurs reported that each act of vandalism or theft resulted in thousands of euros in damages.