Groningen Residents Fed Up With Young Drug Dealers and Users
Residents say the drug nuisance is worse than ever, with dealers as young as teenagers active in city hotspots, as reported by NOS.
Residents of Groningen are sounding the alarm over the growing nuisance from drug users and dealers, especially in the Martinikerkhof cemetery in the city centre. Locals say groups often fight there, and the area is increasingly used by dealers — some of whom are alarmingly young.
Residents Demand Action
For years, Martinikerkhof residents have faced disturbances, but many say this year has been “extreme.” They report open dealing, fights, and drug use in public. “Sometimes they’re really frighteningly young, it’s just sad to see,” one resident told RTV Noord.
People in the area want the municipality and police to take concrete steps, including installing CCTV and adding signs to enforce rules. “If there are clear rules in place, enforcement officers can act. Right now, they don’t do anything,” said another resident.
The complaints are not limited to Martinikerkhof. Other hotspots include the Grote Markt, Nieuwstad, Spilsluizen, Oosterhaven, and the Noorderplantsoen. Just last week, Oosterhaven residents also complained about the nuisance linked to drug addicts.
The Waterbed Effect
Local council member Niels Hilboesen (100% Groningen) has raised the issue with the mayor and aldermen. He argues that current measures cause problems to simply shift rather than disappear. “If you impose an area ban in one neighbourhood, the nuisance just pops up somewhere else. One area is addressed, and another gets hit.”
This “waterbed effect” makes solutions difficult, says Jan Brouwer, professor of General Jurisprudence at the University of Groningen. He suggests imposing penalty payments as a stronger deterrent. “If the mayor tells repeat dealers that next time they’ll face a €5,000 fine, it undermines their business model. Western cities have shown this works.”
City’s Response
Mayor Roelien Kamminga acknowledges the seriousness of the problem and says she has spoken with Martinikerkhof residents. She points to targeted youth programs, extra patrols, and area-based measures already in place, though she admits that nuisance often resurfaces in other neighbourhoods.
On the call for cameras, Kamminga is cautious. “Cameras can be part of the solution, but if everyone just moves on to another spot, that’s not what you want either.” Still, she stresses that tackling nuisance across Groningen remains a top priority.
For now, residents remain frustrated as drug use and dealing continue to disrupt daily life in the city.