The Strange History of the Eel Riots in Amsterdam / Pu Share Official

The Strange History of the Eel Riots in Amsterdam

There was once a traditional Dutch game known as Eel Grabbing, whereby a rope was strung up between two houses across a canal, and a live eel tied to the middle.

Men in small boats would float under the string and try to yank the eel from it.

The winner would often receive a hefty sum, with some winners’ pots being as much as 6 Guilders – a week’s wages.

How did this slippery sport start a riot?
On July 25, 1886, a large crowd of people had gathered to witness a game of now-outlawed Eel Grabbing on Lindengracht in Amsterdam.

Four officers from a nearby police station set out to put a stop to the spectacle, entering one of the houses from which the rope had been tied up and cutting it down.