A wave of vandalism has hit Tallinn’s parks and public toilets this year, with officials blaming teenagers acting out during lunch breaks or after school.<\/p>\n
Tallinn has just 14 public toilets and many of those are frequently out of order due to vandalism. The worst-hit areas are Tondiraba and M\u00e4nni parks, as well as \u00d5ism\u00e4e.<\/p>\n
“Interior doors are kicked in, sinks are torn off the walls and sometimes they even set fires inside, burning trash bags. In Tondiraba Park, they’ve also been using homemade pipe bombs,” said Edith End, head of recreation facility services at the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.<\/p>\n
“We can’t say exactly how old they are, but they seem to be in middle school. We’ve notified the district governments and they’ve reached out to schools,” she added.<\/p>\n
In Mustam\u00e4e, the damage usually happens after school, but in \u00d5ism\u00e4e, vandalism occurs even during class breaks.<\/p>\n
“Just last week, we had to repair the restroom unit next to the \u00d5ism\u00e4e recreation area four times. We replaced the men’s toilet doors,” End said.<\/p>\n
Last year, emergency repairs to Tallinn’s public toilets cost nearly \u20ac78,000. This year, the figure has already reached \u20ac150,000. The city tried to deter vandals by installing fake security cameras and warning signs, but these only encouraged more destruction. Even toilets in Tallinn’s Old Town \u2014 under the watch of a private security firm \u2014 haven’t been spared.<\/p>\n
“The situation is completely insane when we arrive in the mornings,” said Erkki Terras, head of Kadriorg Park’s maintenance department. “Bolt scooters get thrown into the pond, park fixtures are smashed and trash bins are ripped from the ground. Sometimes the frames of park benches are damaged beyond repair. I have no idea how 15-year-olds manage this.”<\/p>\n
According to Terras, it’s probably only a matter of time before the park’s wooden play castle goes up in flames, as teens have been bringing cardboard in shopping carts from nearby stores to burn at the playground.<\/p>\n
“We’ve spoken with the police. They say the kids are usually 13 to 15 years old \u2014 both boys and girls \u2014 and most of them are Russian-speaking,” Terras said.<\/p>\n
He added that the teens have a group on Telegram where they share photos and videos of their “accomplishments.” Terras believes parents should take more interest in what their children are doing and where they’re spending time.<\/p>\n
“There’s really nothing we can do. The only option is to fine the parents. Then they apologize and promise to fix the damage, but a month later the same kid is back in the park. Nothing really helps. The fines are probably too low,” he said.<\/p>\n
Kristel Ulp, group leader at the L\u00e4\u00e4ne-Harju Police Station, said that in M\u00e4nni Park, most of those involved are under 14 and therefore below the age of criminal responsibility.<\/p>\n
“We can speak with them, which we do, and if we sense the child or family may need help, we pass the information along to the local government’s child welfare specialists,” Ulp explained.<\/p>\n
According to the Tallinn Municipal Police, their role is limited to ensuring compliance with public order regulations, which means they inform the property owner of any incidents.<\/p>\n
“We contact the owner, ask if they’re aware of the situation and remind them that it’s their responsibility to clean it up. They can also file a police report,” said Krislin P\u00e4rt, head of regional operations at the municipal police.<\/p>\n
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