Bernese security director takes the city to task
Published: Monday, May 6th 2024, 15:30
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Following the riots on the Schützenmatte in Bern, cantonal security director Philippe Müller (FDP) is calling on the city to take action. It should finally take measures to curb the violence at the Reitschule, said Müller in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency on Monday.
This includes the city making its future financial support for the Reitschule dependent on such events. After all, there is no question that the Reitschule repeatedly serves as a refuge for rioters.
It would also be conceivable to close the Reitschule for one or two weeks. This would not be a collective punishment, but would allow the scene to self-regulate as it demands. Müller compared this to sector closures in football stadiums after fan riots.
It is clear that the ball is in the city's court. The city is responsible for the Reitschule dossier, together with the governor.
Müller also expects the city to seriously consider the use of video cameras on the Schützenmatte. Video recordings could possibly have made a contribution to solving the crimes at the weekend.
In November 2023, the Grand Council decided that the canton of Bern would be able to impose video surveillance of dangerous places on the municipalities in future. The corresponding amendment to the partially revised Police Act is referred to as "Lex Reitschule" by critics from the city of Bern. The regulation is not yet in force.
"Mindless violence"
Müller accused the rioters of "senseless and mindless violence", which could not be justified by "confused pseudo-explanations" on the internet. The fact that a policewoman and ten police officers were injured was an "intolerable situation" for him as cantonal security director, even if it was not the first violent excess in the Schützenmatte perimeter.
The city of Bern is currently running the "Bern schaut hin" campaign, which calls on the population not to look the other way in the event of harassment. Bern should look even more closely when it comes to massive physical violence, said Müller.
©Keystone/SDA
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