“I have to beat it for a while,” says Stuy, “but since we have introduced those security measures, there have been no more incidents.” With the detection gates, which start on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, it is a lot quieter at the fairs of Stuy.
The peace was desperately needed, because in recent years various fairs in the province have been plagued by violence. In Amsterdam-Osdorp, fireworks were set off in 2022 and the police in linea year before was one Violent incident in Hoogkarspel A teenager was put in his head. It also went wrong in Heerhugowaard, there were at the fair last June fights And destruction.
Knives
Fair operator Stuy had had enough. To keep their fairs fun for everyone, security was drastically increased. Visitors are checked on Friday evening and in the evenings of the weekend. Something is sometimes found there. “On the days that we are in Beverwijk, we take about 22 knives. And in Westerpark 35 knives, for teenagers from 13 to 15 years old. And no, those are not potato peelers. I think it is terrible that this is necessary. But yes, I don’t want to be stung at my fair.”
The measures work, Stuy sees, but to put this down he has to take a lot of attention. “It is incredibly expensive. I spend an additional 80,000 euros per fair on this security measure. The rising energy prices and environmental exemptions are added. It is almost impossible to pay.”
The operator must pass on those costs. And the customer notices that. “People pay around one and a half euros more per attraction. I also get complaints that the fair is so expensive, but they actually contribute to a problem of this society. Because it is just.”
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