Metropole fights against illegal advertising. People can report it through the app
/PHOTO GALLERY/ The administrator of Prague’s public lighting has been fighting illegal advertising on lampposts for a long time. These are circus posters, various stickers, safes for keys from shared accommodation, but also pollution of columns by spraying.
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Cleaning public lighting in Prague.
| Photo: THMP
According to the Prague municipality and the Technology of the City of Prague (THMP), illegal advertising has been decreasing recently. Their employees regularly go out into the streets to make it outside. They search for polluted poles either by themselves, by reporting from colleagues, or by responding to a citizen’s initiative via the Praha svíti application, which interested parties can freely download.
Visual smog taints public space
According to Prague representative and councilor for property management Jan Chabra (TOP 09), illegal advertising defaces public space. “Graffiti, illegal advertising and non-advertising accessories on lamps are also a burden for THMP employees. They often cover the numbers of the lamps or their doors, making it difficult to get inside. At the same time, they also damage the coatings of the masts, thereby making their maintenance more expensive,” said Chabr.
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THMP workers go out to remove illegal advertising on the streets of the metropolis every day. Mechanics clean lamps, dispose of plasters and other objects, and use a special coating called anti-placard on the most exposed places. Thanks to its coarse grain content, it devalues other illegal fillings and facilitates its easier disposal. Up to thousands of lamps pass through their hands annually.
The coronavirus pandemic helped
“It turns out that when graffiti artists see their creations quickly disappear from the lamp, they have less incentive to continue the activity. Additionally, if we can identify the author, we will send them a takedown notice to refrain from further illegal activity. To a certain extent, the coronavirus pandemic also contributed to the reduction in the number of mentioned vandalism, due to which fewer cultural events were organized and fewer tourists were walking around Prague sticking various stickers,” explained THMP vice-chairman Tomáš Novotný, adding that so far this year, lamps they haven’t discovered any new key safes for Airbnb or even signs with circus posters.
A fine of up to 50,000 crowns
Monitoring and removal of illegally placed advertising carriers, posters and graffiti has been carried out by Technology of the Capital City of Prague since the beginning of its operation four years ago.
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The culprit can also be punished by the police. According to Prague police spokesman Jan Daňko, the fine for placing an illegal poster on public lighting poles is up to fifty thousand crowns.