Correction appended, Oct. 19
The annual Amsterdam Dance Event reportedly saw about 200 arrests for drug use over the weekend.
Authorities in the Dutch city, looking to differentiate between drug users and drug dealers, generally don’t prosecute people for carrying five or fewer pills of ecstasy. But despite earlier news reports to the contrary, no new rule regarding drug possession was specifically rolled out for the festival, and about 100 people were arrested each day of the event, the NL Times reports, mostly for possession of hard drugs.
“During the event the city of Amsterdam, the police, public prosecutor’s office and health services pay extra attention to informing visitors about health issues, the dangers of drug use and the public’s own responsibility with regard to their health and safety,” a spokesperson for the event said.
“Every person that is found to be in possession of drugs is required to hand it in and will be removed from the venue. It is up to the public prosecutor to decide to press charges,” the spokesperson added.
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly described the policy surrounding of drugs at the Amsterdam Dance Event. The possession or use of drugs is not sanctioned by event organizers.
- What We Know So Far About the Deadly Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
- Beyoncé's Album of the Year Snub Fits Into the Grammys' Long History of Overlooking Black Women
- How the U.S. Shot Down the Alleged Chinese Spy Balloon
- Effective Altruism Has a Toxic Culture of Sexual Harassment and Abuse, Women Say
- Inside Bolsonaro's Surreal New Life as a Florida Man—and MAGA Darling
- 'Return to Office' Plans Spell Trouble for Working Moms
- 8 Ways to Read More Books—and Why You Should
- Why Aren't Movies Sexy Anymore?
- How Logan Paul's Crypto Empire Fell Apart