Yet another Czech town bans sitting outdoors

Source: Romea

The Czech town of Duchcov has adopted a new ordinance that is intended to improve the upholding of public order there. The generally binding ordinance bans people from sitting on concrete barriers or walls and also bans them from grilling food in public areas.

Mayor of Duchcov Zbyněk Šimbera announced the new ordinance to the Czech News Agency. According to some critics, the ordinance targets Romani residents. The ordinance precisely establishes the public places where people are not permitted to sit. It also bans them from placing armchairs in the streets.

"This ordinance should introduce order. I see no reason why people should have picnics and similar things in the streets. That's bad, nobody in any town would like that," the mayor told the Czech News Agency. The ordinance will apply to a large portion of the town, including its troubled localities. "It can't apply to the entire territory, but we did our best to include as many streets as possible in it," the mayor explained.

Miroslav Brož of the Konexe movement believes the ordinance unequivocally targets local Roma. "Similar ordinances were adopted during the First Republic [1918-1938]. This is nothing new even today. My opinion is that such an ordinance is unconstitutional," he told the Czech News Agency.

Read more: http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/yet-another-czech-town-bans-sitting-outdoors