Amsterdam park gets gay cruising signs

The city council of Slotervaart, a district in southwest Amsterdam, decided to post the signs in De Oeverlanden park after receiving complaints from passers-by about the sexual activities taking place in the park.

The sign indicates not only cruising areas, but also areas where children can play and people can walk their dogs. According to one of the district’s councillors, “It’s our duty as a city council to warn people about what’s happening here. As long as the men do not have sex in public, where they can be seen, I have no problem with it”. The park, De Oeverlanden, has been known for decades as a gay cruising area. Some say it’s the most popular one in Holland. Recently, there has been a rise in violence in the park, with robberies, aggression and abuse. The local chapter of the COC, Holland’s main organisation for gays and lesbians, hopes the sign will make the area safer for everyone.