Amsterdam court hears residents' plea to revoke Fabel Friet licence over traffic chaos
A packed Amsterdam courtroom heard neighbourhood residents demand the licence of Fabel Friet be cancelled because of safety and waste problems caused by long TikTok-driven queues.
In a bustling session at an Amsterdam court, neighbourhood advocates, the owners Abel Klatser and Floris Feilzer of Fabel Friet, and city officials confronted each other over complaints that the fry shop’s popularity has spawned unsafe, TikTok-fueled queues on the narrow Runstraat. Residents describe the situation as “unbearable,” pointing to traffic risks and litter that attracts gulls and rats, and invoke the Amsterdam General Local Ordinance that permits licence withdrawal for detrimental impacts on the living environment.
The city admits the area is under “enormous pressure” but argues that entrepreneurs must be allowed to operate, making licence revocation too severe. Both sides have filed objections to a newly issued 2024 licence that includes stricter measures, while alternative solutions such as virtual queue displays and recyclable fry containers have been discussed but deemed insufficient. The court will deliver its ruling on 10 November.
