Urban Studies, Vol. 41, No. 9, 1687–1702, August 2004 Cleansing the Metropolis: Sex Work and the Politics of Zero Tolerance Phil Hubbard [Paper first received, September 2003; in final form, January 2004] Summary. Although red-light districts have long been characteristic features of Western cities, these spaces are periodically subject to forms of moral cleansing and purification enacted by the state and law. Focusing on central Paris and the West End of London, this paper describes recent ‘Zero Tolerance’ policies designed to displace sex work from such spaces. Exploring the motives for such actions, the paper argues that policy-makers are seeking to demonstrate their ability to assert moral order by reclaiming red-light districts from sex workers. Simultaneously, it is suggested that this process of ‘purification’ is intended to maximise the potential for capital accumulation in city centres via the promotion of family-oriented gentrification. The paper concludes by thinking through the implications of this, posing the question: is it right that sex workers are being excluded from our city centres? Introduction On 8 March 2000, the English Collective of Prostitutes and the newly formed Inter- national Sex Workers’ Union held a widely publicised protest on the streets of Soho, central London. Accompanied by a samba band, a 100-strong group of sex workers marched with placards proclaiming that they were, in effect, on strike. This unprecedented action was in response to continuing attempts by Westminster City Council to displace sex work from Soho through the compulsory purchase of properties that the authorities claimed were being used for ‘immoral pur- poses’. This policy resulted in the eviction of a number of female sex workers, including some who had lived and worked in the area for 20 years: We organised a carnival in Soho, because not many people knew that there was go- ing to be a prostitutes’ strike. We wanted to make people aware of it and to think about the issues … so we marched through the streets of Soho on the evening of Inter- national Women’s Day, the day of the strike and it was brilliant, because it was good opportunity to celebrate what it is to be a sex worker. Although the action was firstly in support of those sex workers who were angry about being evicted … it had a positive side. So it was a fun celebration, and that’s very important—because it’s important that sex workers feel pride in themselves, and pride in what they do (Lynn Clamen, spokesperson for the IUSW). 1 Irrespective of this protest, which attracted the attention of the national media, Westmin- ster Council persevered with the compulsory purchase of properties they suspected of be- ing used for prostitution, handing the proper- ties on to a housing association. In addition, Phil Hubbard is in the Department of Geography, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK. Fax: 01509 223 930. E-mail: P.J.Hubbard@lboro.ac.uk. 0042-0980 Print/1360-063X On-line/04/091687–16  2004 The Editors of Urban Studies DOI: 10.1080/0042098042000243101