Countering incidents of violence in public spaces

What can a city like Zurich do when a popular meeting place suddenly becomes a focal point for conflict and violence? On the lakeshore, rising alcohol consumption and increasing physical violence among young people created a threatening dynamic that was further fuelled by social media. Conventional police measures such as increased presence, repression and video surveillance seemed to exacerbate the problem and only attracted more young people in search of ‘action’. The turning point came when a unique co-operation between social work, prevention and the police was launched. Through a coordinated approach and the use of outreach social work, a concept is developed that calms the situation in the long term. Each agency acts according to its own mandate, but with a common goal: to make public spaces safe and accessible for everyone. The presentation shows how Zurich has successfully responded to the escalation of violence and presents tried and tested approaches that can serve as a model for dealing with similar conflicts in public spaces.