A city ordinance banning the commercial sale of tickets in public squares has been in effect in Prague for a week. It applies to the protected monument area in the city centre and the protected zone in the Prague 2 district. However, the so-called umbrella sellers (‘deštníkáři’) are already attempting to circumvent the ban.
They earned their nickname ‘deštníkáři’ due to their distinctive red umbrellas, which could be seen at Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), Wenceslas Square, and Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky). They approached tourists and offered them tickets for bus tours of the city, specifically the hop-on hop-off tours, under the guise of ‘charity’. However, selling tickets on the street — outside of shops — is prohibited in Prague.
The regulation has been in effect for a week
The sale of tickets under the pretext of fundraising is now prohibited by the city ordinance, which came into force on 1 March. The only umbrellas still visible on Old Town Square now belong to the legitimate tour guides. However, the umbrella sellers have not disappeared; they continue their activities, but now in plain clothes, as demonstrated by a test carried out by well-known YouTubers Janek Rubeš and Honza Mikulka, better known as the Prague Honest Guides.
According to a report by ČT24 news channel, Prague police officers have already documented several cases in which they suspect hidden sales and will forward the documents to the administrative authorities for review. A fine of up to 100,000 crowns can be imposed for violating the regulation.
