Orion Club in Prague’s Žižkov Faces Closure After Media Attention

The Ukrainian owner of the Orion nightclub in Prague’s Žižkov district has decided to temporarily close the venue, with the possibility of a permanent closure.

The club has been a popular gathering spot for young Ukrainian citizens, who make up the majority of its clientele.

However, their presence has caused significant disruptions for local residents. Regularly, clubgoers engage in disruptive behavior such as public drunkenness, fighting outside the club, and leaving behind garbage, vomit, and urine in the street.

In some cases, they have even been known to scratch parked cars.

The disturbances have been an ongoing issue since 2020, with the situation recently escalating to the point where it caught the attention of major Czech media outlets. This increased media coverage appears to have pressured the club owner into taking action.

The Orion is only open on Fridays and Saturdays, from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM. About a week and a half ago, the club faced a raid by both the Czech Customs Office and the police, who discovered violations involving the sale of alcohol and tobacco products without the appropriate Czech excise duties.

In response to the complaints, the owner posted a notice in Ukrainian on the club’s door, urging patrons to keep the noise down and respect the area, as the club has faced hefty fines due to their behavior. This led to the club’s closure last weekend, with a sign reading “Temporarily Closed.”

Legally, the club owner cannot be held accountable for the behavior of individuals outside the venue, as public disturbances are the responsibility of the offenders. The only actions taken by Prague 3 authorities in recent years have been to increase police patrols, issue fines to intoxicated troublemakers, and install surveillance cameras near the club.

Michal Vronský, the mayor of Prague 3, commented, “The reason for the closure seems to be an effort to de-escalate the situation and avoid more media attention. However, the issues at the club are well-documented, and, for me, nothing has changed. I will continue to monitor the situation.”

He also plans to meet with the club owner in the near future to discuss the establishment’s future.

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