Member Article

Opera to drive away drunks?

Vienna is hoping opera will succeed where police have failed in driving drug addicts and drunks out of the city’s underground network. Drug addicts and alcoholics have refused to move on from the city’s main Karlsplatz underground station despite frequent police crackdowns over the years. The local council will be playing classical music and broadcasting opera on specially installed TV screens, in the hope that the music will force the troublemakers to move on.

A spokesman for the local council said (in a statement that doesn’t seem particularly PC): “These sort of people are not known for their love of opera and classical music, and we believe they will not hang around. Those that do might find that civilised music encourages civilised behaviour.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .