“You have no right to be in this country”: tram driver in Prague forces Ukrainian family out of transport
Pravda Ukraine
In Prague, a tram driver forcefully ejected a Ukrainian family travelling with a small child, shouting at them.
Source: Czech news portal iDNES.cz
Details: A video shared on social media captures insults based on the passengers’ nationality and shows the driver striking a man who was holding a child.
The event took place at the Otakar tram stop in the Nusle District of Prague on the evening of 27 February. The tram driver aggressively yelled at a man and a woman speaking Ukrainian.
Neznám sice kontext celého konfliktu, ale chování toho tramvajáka je naprosto příšerné! pic.twitter.com/qTCSidWexD
— Barbora Mercury 🇨🇿✌️🇪🇺 (@MercuryBarbora) February 27, 2025
The alleged reason for the confrontation was that the child had “dirtied” a seat by standing on it.
“Silence. To hell with you…! You have no right to be here, in this country! I’m calling the police! Get out! You’re dirtying the tram, do you understand?” the driver shouted at the man holding the child.
The family refused to leave the tram. Then the driver attacked the man and hit him. The child began crying, and the family ultimately exited the tram. The video shows that none of the other passengers intervened; they merely observed the conflict.
Later, the child’s father commented on the incident to the website Vinegret.cz, which provides information for Ukrainians in Czechia.
Quote from the child’s father: “My parents were taking my child home, and the driver didn’t like that the child was standing on the seat looking out of the window, even though my father showed that the shoes were clean and immediately picked the child up.”
Details: The case is being investigated by both the transport company and the police.
The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) stated that it was aware of the incident and was actively addressing the issue.
Law enforcement authorities noted that they were reviewing footage of the conflict. The offence could constitute a violation of civil cohabitation rights, according to a police statement.
Transport councillor Zdeněk Hřib also condemned the situation on social media.
Quote from Hřib: “Regardless of the circumstances, such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. Especially in front of a small child. We are urgently addressing this matter with the Prague Public Transit Company, including taking the necessary employment law measures as soon as possible. And I want to make it clear that public transport is for everyone, regardless of their origin or nationality.”
Details: Interior Minister Vít Rakušan made a similar statement on X (Twitter).
Quote from Rakušan: “Whatever happened, the solution is not aggression from the driver, especially in the presence of a small child, let alone arguments about nationality.”
Details: Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda reported on X that the tram incident video was “shocking”.
Quote from Svoboda: “Seeing a transport company employee eject a passenger from a vehicle with xenophobic remarks and then physically attack him is shocking in itself.
But the fact that even a small child witnesses this aggression – both verbal and physical – is inexcusable.”
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