Police out in force for New Year celebrations in Prague

Police are out in force to maintain law and order on the streets of Prague on the last day of the year and ensure that a ban on using fireworks in the historic city centre is observed. Traditionally many people see the New Year in on the streets of the Czech capital. According to Prague City Tourism 90,000 foreign visitors are celebrating New Year’s Eve in Prague this year. A number of traffic restrictions are in force in the city centre in connection with the celebrations.

Prague will not have a fireworks display or a video mapping show this year. Instead people will get admission for free (or a symbolic price) to Prague Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, Prague towers and a number of other institutions on January 1. Visitors will be asked to present a public transport card or ID to prove that they live in Prague. In view of the recent tragedy at the Faculty of Arts many Czech cities have scrapped their plans for fireworks displays or other boisterous celebrations. Fireworks will not be held in Prague, Brno and Olomouc, among others, on the other hand, Ostrava, Zlín and Plzeň will hold them as planned.