The municipality of Zaanstad has been struggling with knife violence for years. Supermarket chain Albert Heijn recently announced that it would stop selling knives in stores because of ‘increasing aggression in society’. But deputy mayor Harrie van der Laan doubts whether the sales freeze will work. “Every step that is taken to prevent the use of knives on the street is a good step, but I would have preferred that the legislation would also be amended. With the fall of the cabinet yesterday, that will take much longer. ”
Knife violence among young people is a serious problem in the Netherlands. This is a major problem in Zaanstad in particular. In recent years, the number of knife carriers has risen sharply, says Van der Laan. Previously, 1 in 43 carried a knife during preventive searches, ‘now that is 1 in 28’. “That is why you have to make sure that you, as a parent, also talk to your children, like: don’t take that with you. The risk is huge and if you are arrested you have a problem,” says Van der Laan.
Plaster on a sore wound
According to most residents of Zaanstad, Albert Heijn’s decision to stop selling knives is ‘a step in the right direction’. But at the same time, many wonder what the sales freeze will bring. “It’s a plaster on a sore wound,” says a passerby. “The sale of the knives is not the problem, the problem is more that children do not feel safe or want to act tough. And maybe also a bit of education.”
Prevent
In 2020, the mayor of Zaanstad, Jan Hamming, already called on retail chains to stop selling knives, especially to minors. According to the municipality, the police had to take action no fewer than 140 times in 2019 in connection with shootings or stabbings. Mayor Hamming is clear about the problem in his municipality: “Weapons have to leave our city, it’s that simple. Gun ownership leads to gun use and that causes the most terrible tragedies. We have to do everything we can to prevent this,” said Hamming .
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