Teenagers pelt Amsterdam canal boats with eggs and water balloons

©Gautam Krishnan via Unsplash

Amsterdam canal boat captains are sounding the alarm as a troubling trend gains momentum.

Amsterdam canal boat skippers are fed up with children and teenagers pelting their boats in the canals from bridges with increasing frequency. According to shipping companies, the damage runs into the thousands of euros. After all, canal tour boats in Amsterdam are regularly pelted with eggs and water balloons by people on the quayside. The phenomenon occurs weekly on Amsterdam’s waterways and is causing great concern among skippers and crew. Videos of the incidents go viral, while perpetrators often escape and go unpunished.

“We are powerless”

Skippers find the situation extremely frustrating and even life-threatening. “These incidents happen every week,” a skipper told Nieuwslens and AD. “We’re powerless to stop it when people on the quay throw eggs and hard water balloons at our boats.”

Throwing these objects can not only hit passengers and crew, but could also actually cause injuries if thrown with force. Skippers are therefore seriously concerned about the safety of the tourists traveling on their boats.

Reckless behavior getting out of hand

The incidents are getting out of hand and are happening regularly. Moreover, crews have no adequate protection against this behavior from the pier. The skippers denounce their powerlessness and are therefore demanding measures to guarantee the safety of tourists and staff. Their livelihoods could also be at risk if tourists start staying away.

Solution required: extra checks and fines?

There is therefore a clear call to action. The situation must be addressed to ensure safety on Amsterdam’s canal tours. Skippers hope that local authorities and the city of Amsterdam will intervene to stop this dangerous behavior.

©Gautam Krishnan via Unsplash - illustrative image