The Municipality of The Hague has agreed to pass a by-law which will bring much tighter laws on begging and panhandling in the city centre, following in the footsteps of both Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Nuisance

The by-law comes after business owners, residents and visitors to The Hague had complained about the nuisance caused by begging and even street musicians in the city centre.

According to the official municipality website, there has been a significant increase in these activities in the city within recent years.

Restrictions

The new law will, for example, force beggars to sit at least three metres away from any building where they may stay for only 30 minutes at a time. These restrictions will be enforced by the mayor’s municipality agents.

Source: TheHague.com