Franciscan Garden in Central Prague Overrun by Homeless: Assaults, Alcohol and Drugs

A tense situation has developed in the Franciscan Garden in the very heart of Prague — the courtyard tucked between Jungmannovo Square, Wenceslas Square and Vodičkova Street — as homeless people increasingly gather there. According to Prague City Police spokeswoman Irena Seifertová, an officer was indeed attacked by a homeless man who was heavily intoxicated. Since the incident, police have been patrolling the park roughly eight times a day.

City police admit that standard enforcement measures barely work in cases like this. "Officers' options here are quite limited. Homeless people and those struggling with substance dependency generally don't pay fines, and there's currently no effective system for enforcing penalties," Seifertová explained. In addition to the city police, the Czech national police also regularly monitor order in the park.

Why the Homeless Are Drawn Here

According to Richard Gerdina, a spokesman for the national police in Prague, the situation has worsened because of ongoing reconstruction work at part of Prague's Main Railway Station. "We maintain a constant presence there. We link the problem to the start of the reconstruction of part of the main station — people who used to gather there have readily shifted to the Franciscan Garden instead," he said.

Another factor is tourists themselves, who often give homeless people food or money, which has become a major incentive for them to congregate in this particular spot. Seifertová noted that most violations involve homeless individuals occupying entire benches, cluttering them with bags and food scraps, and occasionally being caught by patrols drinking alcohol, which is banned in the park.

Authorities Bet on Inter-Agency Cooperation

Observations of the park in early September confirmed just how serious the situation has become. Security officials believe that closer cooperation between police and social and medical services could offer a long-term solution. The stance of city politicians willing to back such cooperation in practice also plays a significant role.

As Prague 1 district councillor Giancarlo Lamberti (TOP 09) pointed out, simply pushing homeless people out repeatedly doesn't solve the problem — a person just moves to the next street and soon comes back. He said what's needed is consistent cooperation between city police and social and addiction services, along with more effective tools for municipalities to tackle recurring problematic behaviour in public spaces.

Source: novinky.cz