Mayor Carola Schouten extends area ban (gebiedsverbod) in Rotterdam's De Esch by three months

Rotterdam is extending the night-time area ban (gebiedsverbod) in the De Esch neighbourhood by three months, until 23 January. The new ban applies from Thursday to Sunday, from 23:00 to 05:00, and nobody may enter the area without a good reason. Mayor Carola Schouten announced it in a letter to the municipal council.

Why it matters

• Anyone who enters the area without a good reason between 23:00 and 05:00 on the four ban nights is fined.
• The mayor said the car park at the Kralinger Esch is exempt because no offences took place there.
• Schouten wrote that police and boa's (enforcement officers) keep a close watch on the area on the other days.

Schouten wrote that the situation in De Esch has improved considerably. Nuisance reports to police and the municipality have dropped sharply, and the district council and residents say they now barely experience nuisance at night. "I am doing this to further reduce the appeal of the area," she wrote.

In total, 140 people have received a proces-verbaal (official fine report), 23 of them on the first evening.

Schouten acknowledged that an area ban is a heavy measure that cannot be extended indefinitely. The municipality will work with residents and the district council to find a more lasting solution before 23 January 2027. "Should the situation worsen after all, I will take additional measures where needed," she wrote.