Rotterdam pastry shop Tatli faces vandalism and stigmatization

The DENK political group in Rotterdam is calling on the city administration to protect the popular pastry shop Tatli from vandalism and stigmatization. The business, located in Rotterdam-West, has faced neighborhood complaints regarding crowds and congestion, but the political group is raising concerns over the language used to describe the shop's patrons.

According to written questions submitted by the group, visitors have been described in complaints as “louche figuren, asociale mensen en criminelen” (shady figures, asocial people, and criminals). DENK council member Faouzi Achbar has labeled these descriptions as stigmatizing and is questioning whether they carry a discriminatory or racist character.

The shop owner has reportedly implemented measures to mitigate local nuisance, including providing extra security, additional staff, and managing waste. However, the business also reported an incident of vandalism where a matcha cup was thrown against a window, for which a report was filed. DENK is seeking clarity on the municipality's role in protecting the entrepreneur and staff from aggression and is requesting facilitated dialogue between the business and local residents.