Residents write in a letter to the editorial office that they do not feel safe in their own neighborhood.
We, the residents, especially those of central Bolesławiec, say ENOUGH!!! It is time to change the format. And let the authorities stop dealing with trivialities, such as what the parade should look like, and instead (let them think about it – ed.) how to secure the city against drunks and troublemakers, and against young people who have nothing to do after the concerts!
How can the format of this event be changed while preserving its cultural standards and abandoning its weak fair-like character—and, above all, how can courtyards in the center be secured after 10:00 p.m. and residents’ quality of life in the center be ensured?
“We have the impression that this festival is very poorly secured, especially after 10:00 p.m.,” residents report. “After all, the event runs from Wednesday to Sunday! This means that the organizers should also take care of our safety at night,” residents of the city center, the city of ceramics, write in a letter to the editorial office.
Bolesławiec residents emphasize that they like the Ceramic Festival as such.
“And to be clear,” they write. “I have nothing against stalls, fairs, or even the artistic program. But the concerts in the center, the amusement park with those harsh lights, and, above all, the uncontrolled and consequence-free drinking and the smell of feces beneath our windows—that is simply too much,” they warn.
Residents of Asnyka, Sierpnia 80, Łukasiewicza, Bielska, Żwirki i Wigury, Bankowa, Kościelna, Daszyńskiego, Prusa streets and the Market Square emphasize that for many years the Ceramic Festival has been more of an ordeal than a celebration.
“I really understand that this is a mass event, that tourists come, and that people want to have fun,” one resident writes. “But does that mean that we, the residents of the center, have to feel like intruders in our own city for these few days? For example, on August 15, after 3:00 a.m., I had to call the police because for a good three hours a group of people drank vodka and smoked marijuana beneath my windows. No one monitored the courtyards, where alcohol is consumed with impunity. And eventually a disturbance broke out! Is the surveillance system not working, or what? This is the city center! As taxpayers, do we not have the right to object to this? Where are the security services?” the woman asks.
Residents honestly doubt whether Bolesławiec is properly secured during the festival. What are the statistics? How many police calls were there? Does the Ceramic Festival really have to look like this? Would three days of stalls without the entertainment program on Asnyka Street not be enough? Can the city center count on increased police patrols?
“We know this may sound like complaining, but believe me, this is a cry for help,” people write. “I love Bolesławiec, I love ceramics, but I do not want this festival to be a burden for me. I want us, the residents, to be able to enjoy it together with tourists. We truly hope that someone will finally listen to our voice and that something will change. It cannot go on like this. It is time for change!” the residents emphasize.