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I'm going to Rotterdam for an Ingress event at the end of May. This event expects somewhere between 2000 and 4000 people from all over the world, but mostly central Europe. Because of recent terror events and because there are also a lot of other events in the city that day, the metropolitan police agreed on a code of conduct with the local organizers of the Ingress event. Besides a few others, the rules include:

  • No alcohol in the streets within the city center
  • No leaning against buildings or shouting across the street.

Why would leaning against buildings be a problem for the police? Is this to protect residents from being bothered by tourists, or has it maybe got to do with old buildings?

The police has also received screenshots of the Ingress mobile phone application and we were told to show our phones on request so they can distinguish us from groups of party-goers.

JonathanReez
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simbabque
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1 Answers1

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I have done an internet search in Dutch, I did not find the 'do not lean against buildings' for Rotterdam, nor in general neither for this one event.

In the Netherlands it is quite common for cities to have special rules 'with status of law' for special events. The Ingress event is quite big and the city officials will likely not want it to get out of hand.

I do not expect them to arrest people who lean against the buildings, but they might have police or security crews in the streets and ask people to move on if the crowds seem to be overwhelming for the street or blocking the normal activities for the street (like shopping).

Willeke
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