March 1 2013
Habibi Ana, an Amsterdam café which bills itself as a Muslim gay bar, is shutting down March 2 2013. The closure is not due to the club’s demographic or status as a Muslim gay bar but rather due to breaking noise regulations. RNW provides a profile on its history and the role it played in the city’s social landscape. The club opened in 2001, complete with participation in the city’s Gay Pride Parade. Founder Atef Salib explains that he did not feel welcome in Dutch gay bars and wanted to create an establishment for Arab homosexuals with a particular atmosphere. The bar is closing after having broken civic licensing regulations more than three times.
