"Our employees are regularly harassed" – Excitement at Kornmarktplatz

"Across from the Spar supermarket on Kornmarktplatz, a man who presumably has no fixed address has been sitting for months. He comes early in the morning, sets up his things, sits down, and then starts playing his guitar loudly," explains entrepreneur Marco Girardi, whose office is directly across the street. What may sound like harmless street music to some is, in fact, a persistent problem.

Anyone who confronts the singer about this is met with a resounding rebuff. "We don't make music," he told VOL.AT reporter Dennis when the complaints were pointed out to him. With a wink, he added: "Unlike others, we don't insult anyone."

But that's exactly what Girardi denies in an interview with VOL.AT. "Both upon entering and leaving the Spar, you're met with insults, abuse, and comments about your appearance." Anyone who reacts to this can even expect to be chanted. Women are particularly affected. "Our female employees are regularly harassed."

In the summer, the situation gets even worse: the loud voices penetrate the office spaces unhindered through open windows. "We're forced to ventilate, and this makes everything even more noticeable," the businessman says.

The manager of the Spar supermarket sees things differently. He has known the man for some time and doesn't find the situation disturbing. "I don't have the impression that he's bothering anyone," he says. He even chats with the guitarist from time to time.

Girardi, however, takes a completely different view. The business owner has had enough. He and his team have tried several times to talk to the man – without success. "We shared our perspective with him, but he simply wasn't interested," says Girardi. There's no sign of any insight.

Girardi clearly directs his criticism at the city and the police: "We wish the law enforcement and the city were more present here and acted with more force." One starting point is the question of whether the man's street music was even permitted. "One would have to take a closer look here: Did he apply or not?" Furthermore, in his view, there is a complete lack of dialogue between the authorities and those affected.

For the entrepreneur, it's clear: This situation must not become the norm in Bregenz. "I've had my office here at Kornmarktplatz for eleven years, and I refuse to accept that something like this is a permanent fixture in the cityscape!"

According to Girardi, there have been no noticeable police actions so far. "As far as I know, nothing has happened yet," he says. For him, it's clear: things can't go on like this.

The city of Bregenz confirms that the case is already known. They have already responded together with the city police. "There will be increased controls in the city center and especially at the affected location in the coming weeks," the statement reads. The goal is to noticeably improve the situation.

Legally, the police can issue evictions in the event of repeated disturbances, the city emphasizes. Furthermore, "Should anyone feel disturbed or harassed, they are advised to inform the police immediately."