Prague limits billboard ads amid resident petitions

In Prague, a petition titled “We don’t want more advertising in Prague” has gathered over 2,500 signatures demanding stricter control of billboards, advertising tarps and other visual‑pollution devices. The city’s business licensing department is handling infringement proceedings against firms that install illegal advertising cloths, with potential fines of up to 2 million Czech crowns. According to a municipal spokesperson, 363 advertising tarps were removed between early 2025 and early 2026, while 237 remain under investigation. The city council is set to debate the petitions this week, with officials arguing that the regulations aim to protect historic zones and preserve residents’ views.

The dispute pits local residents and property owners, who see the proliferation of billboards and illuminated panels as visual smog, against advertising companies that claim the rules hinder commercial activity. Some advertisers have appealed to the Competition Office and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while the municipality maintains that the measures are necessary to enforce existing zoning and heritage‑preservation laws.