"You have no right to be in this country": tram driver in Prague forces Ukrainian family off tram – video

A tram driver in Prague 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 the driver insulting the passengers based on their nationality and striking a man who was holding a child. 

The incident took place at the Otakar tram stop in Prague’s Nusle district on the evening of 27 February. The tram driver yelled aggressively at a man and a woman who were speaking Ukrainian.

The alleged reason for the confrontation was that the child had "dirtied" a seat by standing on it.

"Be quiet. 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.

When the family refused to leave the tram, the driver attacked the man and hit him. The child started to cry, and the family ultimately got off the tram. The video shows that none of the other passengers intervened; they merely observed the conflict.

The child's father later 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 the fact that the child was standing on the seat looking out of the window, even though my father showed him that their shoes were clean and immediately picked the child up." 

Details: The incident is being investigated by both the transport company and the police.

The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) said it was aware of the incident and was actively addressing the issue.

Law enforcement authorities said they were reviewing footage of the conflict. The offence may constitute a breach of civic coexistence rights, the police said.

Transport councillor Zdeněk Hřib also condemned the situation on social media.

Quote from Hřib: "Regardless of the circumstances, this kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable, especially in front of a small child. We are urgently raising 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, whatever 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 said on X that the video of the tram incident 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 a small child witnessed this aggression – both verbal and physical – is inexcusable." 

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