Prague's Charles Bridge again vandalized; graffiti swiftly removed

Prague's Charles Bridge once again became the target of vandalism this week as the local landmark was tagged with graffiti. The offensive markings were discovered on the evening of September 19, near the sculptures of Saints Barbara, Margaret the Virgin, and Elizabeth of Hungary.

The Czech capital's Technical Road Administration (TSK) swiftly removed the graffiti that appeared on the parapet of the historic Charles Bridge on Friday morning, TSK spokesperson Barbora Lišková told Czech News Agency. The identity of the vandal(s) remains unknown.

"For all our historic bridges, we have prepared a detailed manual of graffiti cleaning procedures," TSK General Director Filip Hájek added, noting that timely action prevents further degradation of the underlying materials, which makes subsequent removal more complicated.

"This manual has been discussed with conservationists and we have clear rules and approved procedures in place that allow us to start cleaning almost immediately. A later reaction causes more damage to the substrate and a significantly more complicated method of removal."

Prague police were notified about graffiti on Thursday evening after reports came in through the public 158 line, according to spokesperson Richard Hrdina. Officers are currently reviewing camera footage from the bridge in order to identify the perpetrator, who faces up to three years in prison for the crime.

This latest incident marks yet another instance of vandalism targeting Charles Bridge, which has faced similar attacks in recent years. Previous offenders have been caught and penalized.

A boy and girl who defaced the bridge three years ago were sentenced to complete 60 hours of community service and were placed under supervision for a year. They confessed to their actions and shared the costs of the damages, amounting to approximately CZK 95,000.

In a related case from 2019, two German tourists vandalized the bridge, leading to significant legal repercussions. One of the offenders, Benjamin Wittig, unsuccessfully appealed to the Constitutional Court after receiving a suspended one-year prison sentence, a CZK 100,000 fine, and a five-year expulsion from the Czech Republic.

TSK is committed not only to maintaining Charles Bridge but also to removing graffiti from various other surfaces throughout the city, including underpasses and modern bridges. In 2023 alone, TSK successfully cleaned over 130,000 square meters of graffiti from Prague, equivalent to the size of two Wenceslas Squares.