As the global pandemic evolves with the new Delta Variant and restrictions begin to rise again; one industry that we have seen affected since the beginning of COVID-19 is the music industry. With the global value of the EDM industry falling by 54% and around 1.9 million jobs affected over the course of the pandemic, many of us have begun to feel restless. One country that has since showed their displeasure with how the Music Industry is being treated is the Netherlands with their “Unmute Us” protest in Amsterdam.
“Unmute Us” protest was founded in response to the Dutch governments closure of clubs and large scale events such as festivals until October 31st-September 19th. In June clubs and festivals had originally resumed in the Netherlands, largely without restrictions, but a sharp increase In COVID-19 cases reintroduced a number of measures. Under Dutch government’s current restrictions only one day events with a maximum of 750 visitors are permitted, and attendees require proof of vaccination, a recent negative test result or proof that they have recovered from the virus in the last 6 months.
With countries like England and France also being afflicted and huge events like Glastonbury in South England and The Vielles Char rues (Frances biggest festival) set to a limits of 5,000 Spectators each day; Festival organizers felt pushed to plan #UnmuteUs. So on August 21st 70,000 people across 6 Dutch countries took to the streets holding handmade banners reading “Music = Medicine” and “Don’t Cancel Culture.” Their protest website reads, translated from Dutch, “After months of efforts by the event sector to meet the wishes of the government, it must be concluded that the intentions were one-sided.”
Along with convoys and DJ’s playing in moving vans and sound systems on the march routes, protesters took to the streets to party and dance while electronic dance music blasted. Originally scheduled to run from 2pm until 5pm, most protests continued into the late evening with officials in Amsterdam calling for the people to stop joining the route by mid-afternoon for fear of overcrowding. With the small win of the Amsterdam Dance Event moving forward despite COVID-19 regulations, the event sector again took to the streets on September 11th due to the cabinet not making any concrete commitments in response to the earlier protest. The Dutch government is currently deliberating opening up nightclubs at the end of September despite the ban being expected to last till November.
