Crowd Control Measures in Amsterdam After 2025 "Unmanageable" Festivities
Amsterdam implemented tighter crowd control measures for King's Day 2026 following an internal report that described the 2025 celebration as "unmanageable" for emergency services. Last year's event ended with riot police deployed on the Albert Cuypstraat and assaults reported in other parts of the city .
New Measures for 2026:
Boat limit: Strict 12-passenger limit per boat with no exceptions
Fines: €160 for private boats, €800 for commercial vessels
Alcohol enforcement: Repeat offenders face immediate fines for illegal sales
Private security deployed on Westerstraat and Noordermarkt to free up city wardens
Festivals on the city's edge can run until 10pm to draw crowds away from the centre
More bike-borne first aiders patrol the inner city
Mayor Femke Halsema called the new measures "a first step" away from the "anything goes" image the day has acquired in the capital .
