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In 2025, the streets are still not safe. There are still too many stories, too many texts saying “Did you get home safe?”, too many unpleasant experiences. Let’s take to the streets together and show that it can be different. Dance, chalk, and shout with us on June 27 during this edition of the Nijmeegse Heksennacht.
EVERYONE is welcome. Woman, man, non-binary, queer, trans, interseks, gay, straight, bi, pan, persons of color, neurodivergent or neurotypicle, people with or without labels, impairments, or issues: JOIN US! Show yourself with us and make your voice heard: safe streets for everyone. safe streets for everyone.
PROGRAM - EN
PROGRAM - EN
20:15 - 21:00 Walk-in @ Mariënburgkapel (NL / EN)
DIY protest signs
Chalk goodiebag
White Screen print by Dolle Nimma
(bring your own cotton clothes)Map out unsafe streets
Expo
21:00 - 21:20 Opening @ Mariënburgkapel (NL) --- note this part of the program will be mostly in Dutch
Inspiring speeches from Judith Holzmann (NL) and Marieke Smit (NL)
21:20 - 22:30 Protestmars @ Centrum Nijmegen (NL/EN)
Diverse chalk breaks
Music by protestband Kladderadatsch
Speech (NL)
22.45 R&B afterparty @ cafe de plak (NL/EN)
Participation is free! You're welcome to join the entire program or just a part of it.
So gather your family, friends, housemates, teammates, or that one awesome colleague and join us!
ROUTE
From the Mariënburgkapel we go via Mariënburg, Koningstraat, and Pauwelstraat to Molenstraat. At the end of the Molenstraat we turn right to the Eerste Walstraat. At Parkstraat we enter the Kronerburgerpark and walk through the park along the smoking bench towards Joris Ivensplein. Then we walk up the Lange Hezelstraat and Stikke Hezelstraat towards our end point: the Grote Markt. At the Grote Markt we close the march with a fiery speech and then there is a final party in café De Plak.
The route takes 25 minutes, but including chalk stops we walk for about 1 hour!
HISTORY
HISTORY
On May 19, 1978, during the Second Feminist Wave, the activist group Women Against Sexual Violence from Amsterdam organized the very first Heksennacht. In ten different cities (including Nijmegen), more than 8.000 women took to the streets with banners and torches to reclaim public space. Just like men, they wanted to be able to walk the streets safely at night — without unpleasant comments, sexual harassment, or violence.
On May 19, 1978, during the Second Feminist Wave, the activist group Women Against Sexual Violence from Amsterdam organized the very first Heksennacht. In ten different cities (including Nijmegen), more than 8.000 women took to the streets with banners and torches to reclaim public space. Just like men, they wanted to be able to walk the streets safely at night — without unpleasant comments, sexual harassment, or violence.
The concept of Witches’ Night is inspired by the international organization Take Back the Night in the U.S., which held a demonstration after Susan Alexander Speeth was murdered on her way home. Similar demonstrations were held in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany to demand safe spaces at night for women.
In Nijmegen, similar protest marches have been organized since 1978 under the name Hekssennacht. The title refers to the medieval witch trials (heks is witch in Dutch), during which (groups of) women were accused of witchcraft and brutally tortured. The term heks (witch) was reclaimed as a symbol of resistance. During Heksennachten, women proudly showed their strength and loudly sang the Witches’ Night song.
By the late 1990s, Heksennacht in Nijmegen had faded somewhat into the background, even though its message remains deeply relevant. That’s why Catcalls of Nimma, organized a Heksennacht in 2022 and 2023 for the first time in a long time. A protest march centered around chalk, music, and good energy.
In 2025, we continue the tradition with a new edition of the Nijmeegse Heksennacht, this time in collaboration with FLINTA* Movement Nijmegen and Dolle Nimma, to make the march even bigger and more inclusive. Because now, perhaps more than ever, it’s incredibly important to fight together for less harassment and more love and respect on the streets.
Important side note: in earlier Heksennachten, mainly only women were allowed to participate. But at our Heksennacht, everyone is welcome! That’s because many more people experience street harassment — including members of the LGBTIQ+ community and people of color. And we believe it’s super important that allies can also speak out. After all, we’re stronger together. :)
Will you join us?
Will you join us?
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