The Prague Post Online: Opinion: A good start to clean up Wenceslas Square

October 7th, 2008

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A good start to clean up Wenceslas Square

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December 12th, 2007 issue

We are now supposedly in the “post-stag era” of Prague, as drunken louts from the United Kingdom and elsewhere take their bacchanalian bachelor parties to Warsaw, Kyiv and beyond.

But we sometimes find that hard to believe, based on the late-night bellowing outside our windows on an otherwise quiet block close to both Old Town and Wenceslas Square. The loud arguments, yelling and drama (usually in languages other than Czech) invariably come around 2:30 a.m., waking us out of a sound slumber.

So it can only be a good thing when Prague politicians put laws in place to clean up some of the problems that lead to such late-night shenanigans.

Starting in January, new rules go into effect that will allow police to crack down on prostitutes walking the streets and close down the popular sausage stands that line Wenceslas Square. (See story, page A1)

Patronizing a sausage stand at 1 a.m. on a weekend night may not seem particularly dangerous. But we understand the point of city officials, who say they want to end the filth, litter and vagrancy they attract. There’s some sentimental value attached to the stands, with their carnival look and Old World flavor. But if shutting them is part of what it takes to clean up the central business district, then we’re all for it.

It’s long past time to give Wenceslas Square a facelift. The latest version has been under discussion since November 2005, with city-chosen architect Jakub Cigler pushing to limit the number of food stalls, close the area to car traffic and create more pedestrian-friendly spaces.

Such urban redevelopment plans are always a good way to change an area’s character and reputation, though City Hall seems more inclined to talk than take action. And certainly there’s no guarantee that the latest set of proposed changes will clean up Wenceslas Square’s image as a “sin center.”

For one thing, they don’t address the touts for girlie bars who approach men on the square with verbal come-ons and flyers. Those touts reflect how tricky cleaning up the streets can be, as one of the main reasons they’re out hustling customers is a 2005 ban on advertising the sex industry with erotic leaflets and posters.

As the city moves forward with the new prostitution ordinance, it should deal with the touts as well. Under the new rules, police will be able to threaten prostitutes with fines of up to 30,000 Kč ($1,834) to get them off the streets. City Hall should consider a similar fine for touts.

At some point, the city will have to decide how it feels about the sex industry establishments that ring the square. Officials inspect them regularly — 200 times since 2004 — but none is ever closed down, essentially sanctioning what is in fact a legal business. Is this what the city wants for its main tourist and business hub?

There’s nothing wrong with late-night fun, as long as anyone, tourist or resident, feels safe and comfortable walking the streets. We’re optimistic that, if the city gets serious about its plans to clean up the square, we’re bound to get a better night’s sleep.

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