OK first question:

From what i understand, the attack probably lasted around 5 minutes maybe more. So what was the taxi still doing there?

You get dropped off by a taxi and the taxi then leaves. They dont stay around and wait

Good point plus he crossed the bridge and contiuned walking. Was it in the local paper?  How did he get back across the bridge with fractured vertebrae? Only making these points so that people are not scared unnecessarily.

Second question what is the source of the story?  There are plenty of cases of emails being circulated with photographs about missing children which are spam.

Sound more like a few seconds.

I am very sorry to hear this. I've been a victim of pickpocket myself and lost 400 CHF. Geneva is unsafe place For Sure.

I think you'd need Usain Bolt to get across the bridge in a few seconds. The whole episode would be more like fifteen or twenty minutes including the dialogue and severe kicking and walking/crawling back.

Would have to agree with Paul, I don't think you could sustain those injuries and walk. And if he was on his way to Confederation Centre to get a life home - by which I guess they meant taxi - why didn't he just share the cost of the one he was in already? The one that was sitting on the other side of the bridge with him friend in it waiting for the whole length of the attack.

I'm not making light of situations like this - there's just a lot of inconsistencies in the description of what happened. Anyway, many thanks for the warning.

i have a doubt on the story, sounds to me the guy had fight with someone and then to hide the real story he made another. Because i know i have seen guys making such stories. Guys do fight, and to hide their mess-up from the families the make stories,

This is something,a girl made a story, She fell asleep and the guy made a tatoo on her face. How can you fall asleep while getting a tattoo.

Nice place geneva, but I've had my car windows smashed twice recently.

The real problem is the Geneva POLICE - they sit on their asses and hand out fines for minor items like running a red light on a bike at 11PM when the street is deserted of cars, however the criminals are lurking in the shadows (too scared to venture into that side of the world).  More than a few cops I have "met" are patheticly hiding behind the almighty powers of a policeman, macho image but are as useless as a doorknob.

In most cities the Police are "to serve and protect" - same goes for Geneva, except sadly to say for the local police its "serve myself (first) and protect my paycheque".

Having lived here for many years, its about time to head back to la compagne where things are calm and the "real" Switzerland thrives.

@Maria_ This is an edited version of what actually happened. This was issued to the staff of the UN as it was a member of staffs son who was attacked, for whatever reason the version is edited.  I don't know why. I just wanted to make people aware that Geneva is not what it once was. You can choose to believe the report or not that is up to you.

@Paul.Everett I believe when you feel your life is threatened the body is capable of amazing things, even though you suffer afterward when adrenaline recedes. The source of this story is the UN security office, it was circulated to all UN Agencies (as far as I know) then a further statement was issued by the Director General of the UN regarding safety in Geneva to all staff.

@waqas s you may be correct however in the absence of proof I would rather take precautions and encourage others too than chance a meeting with thugs of any nature.

So a guy gets a kicking of 9 people and ends up with only very minor imo injuries story sucks too many holes in it more likely got drunks fell over end of.

However the point about personal safety is valid dont walk anywhere in the dark unless your in groups would have thought it common sense.

Its Geneva for christ sake not Joburg, NY or London no need to panic...

Wish some young punks tried to jump me ,that would be a fun night in Geneva !!

How can people go out of their way to "find holes in the story" and say that it can't be true? A guy is almost beat to death - and all you can think of is that its strange that a taxi stays in the same place for five minutes or that its worse in Johannesburg? You people seem to have left all your empathy at home this morning.

For sure, scare stories like this should not be used to panic and keep people off the safe streets of Geneva. And the story might be untrue, but why presume that?

Thanks for coming back and explaining.  Even though the source is the UN security, there are a lots of discrepancies.  Today there are so many instances of organisatons being super careful so that they cannot be blamed if anything happens (covering their a...).Nobody has claimed to see this in the papers which does make me and others wonder

But thanks for bringing it to our notice.  I just hope it does not make nervous people stay indoors.

The secret (and probably the truth of the matter is) that it is best not to try to go home on your own inebriated - start earlier and finish earlier if you must get drunk.  It is possible to get plastered by midnight if thatis what you must do.     

Totally agree with Par!

Where the hell is your empathy people?

This story is not absurd. It's (luckily) rare, but shit like this happens. And it shouldn't!

The son of a friend was violently aggressed by a similar gang getting off the train at night in Lausanne. No real reason: just "La haine" (the hate) some young idiots feel for the world around them.

He needed treatment for more than a year and the trauma has probably changed his personality forever.

This shit happens. We needn't become paranoid, but paying attention is a good advice.

Not presuming it - just checking. There are peole on glocals who are of a nervous disposition and so it is necessary to check things out before circulating the information. Up until now nobody hasa reported reading this in the press and yet he was in hospital and it was reported to the police.

I am all for warning people of dangers and have even thanked the poster but if it has been made up or exaggereated then the posting is worthless and causes more damage

(...) Now that's a knife!

last year a girl had her throat slit in a bar in paquis on a sunday afternoon in broad daylight. i heard about it when i was out in a bar nearby, apparently blood was everywhere, police ambulance etc were called in and eventually all cleaned up. i scoured the newspapers for details of the incident the entire week - not one word. Geneva is very good at keeping its image squeaky clean in the press, especially around summer time with all the high net worth ppl coming to town.. 

Which one of you is Hayes?

Ive been attacked at Cornavin at 3am (ish) ... (to my drunken Irish delight) .... Friends have been mugged... with mixed results (attempted and actual)

Geneva isnt as safe as people say it is, and its worth taking precautions. There is knife crime here, gun crime and general beatings/robbings and so forth. Its not so widespread as maybe areas of London or NY or Washington... but for the village sized place in which we live.... its enough.

Just be careful, and it will probably never happen to you.

Honest - not me guv. Never heard of him (recently)

One evening I walked into the police station in Paquis just to ask whether or not they can take fingerprints.  I had to wait for about 15 minutes before anyone even was around and spoke to me.  Good thing it wasn't a serious emergency.

So you give him part of the blame? What's next?

I didn't know this is where the drug dealers hang out.

Can someone give me a map of all the dangerous places in Geneva, so that I can avoid them late at night please.

Drug dealers are not violent. It's bad for business.

I don't think that it was his 'fault' but there is no harm in being vigilant and careful. There are always criminals around, in some places more than others, we do need to look out for ourselves...the criminals certainly don't care! I grew up in a very violent, lawless land and I knew that carelessness on my part could get me into a lot of trouble...at the end of the day I'd be the one to suffer so might as well take precautions. Its just common sense. But in this situation, the poor guy might not have even known that he was in a shady area and that he should avoid it late at night.

yes, me too!!!

catalin is right- drug dealers don't beat up their current or potential customers. having lived in paquis 6 years i walk past them all the time, and the worst they do is ask you if you're ok and need anything. nothing else. if they do fight its amongst themselves. 

these guys sound like they just wanted to f somebody up for no reason. not even to take his money. i'm afraid that happens here, and can do so anywhere. spots as described above where there aren't many people around late at night obviously are a better choice for the cowardly a**holes who did this (i believe thats the official/technical term for them :P ) to the poor guy. David - other spots i know where bellends like this hang out are around jonction and the jardin anglais at night (except during pre-fetes and fetes: too many ppl around to try to jump people). summertime seems to attract more of the racaille/scum that do this so just try to use common sense if you're out by yourself- stay in well lit areas, preferable with people around, and at worst cab it! 

charlie! stop going to internations parties!!! 

@G___ I think you are right little thugs looking for trouble will always find it, everyone else be damned. It's sad but appears to be true.

@Damien R wholeheartedly agree, however it doesn't sound like drugdealers to me, sounds like young thugs looking to up the ante for kicks....

Well certainly the Delon case was headline news and half page articles on two susequent days in the Tribune.  The free paper would have got it from the TdG

Why did you want your fingerprints taking? Dyslexia?

Haha, no, paperwork for registration in the U.S.

Well I was not far off - the dyslexia was on the other foot (or rather hand) ie with US immigration

Geneva is a safe city as long as you don't get into fights at 4:50 am after a night of partying which sees you head home by taxi. If you are by taxi take it straight to destination. Why take the taxi to hotel mandarin and walk home from there? 

If the area was so dangerous Usine would have closed long ago. 

The dealers have nothing to gain from making people feel the area is unsafe. The racaille have nothing to lose. They are more likely to attack out of jealousy. Add possible alcohol and speaking about nationality and there's a better chance of conflict. In Switzerland you are safe whereas it is better known that certain banlieus in France breed friction and encourage rivalry. 

Don't jump to the bait and you'll be fine. 

That would never have happened in a Glocals party...

http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu/excede-bruit-tire-paysagiste-2011-07-20

In Vernier, a 21 year-old Swiss admits shooting at a man trimming hedges for "making too much noise." The police confiscated the rifle, but let released the shooter -- not presumed shooter,  he confessed to the act.

http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu/chauffeur-taxi-agresse-pieton-aeroport-2011-06-27

Report of a taxi driver beating up a pedestrian for walking too slowly at an airport exit.

One can find lots of information on local crime in the "Fait Divers" section of the Tribune de Genève...

http://www.tdg.ch/articles/geneve/faits-divers/

Yes, we all have to be careful, but let's not blame the victims....

I have not so much been blaming the vicitm as been more curious about how the UN security department can put out a warning which is full of discrepancies. The immediate reaction on glocals (Maria) was doubt. 

A security organisation should be more professional. 

I am assuming you did not find this one in the papers and it is true there are attacks reported in Switzerland almost every day and maybe they should have concentrated on the frequency - we will never know. 

By the way does anyone want to buy my hedge trimmer?

I also work for the UN system (WHO) and a much shorter version of this story was also sent to us advising us to be careful.  I did not have the full details of the injuries, but it was stressed to us that this sort of thing is very rare, but it does happen and we should therefore be wise when out in the city.

It is certainly not impossible to walk with fractured vertebrae.  There are many different ways a vertebrae can be fractured, and some are more serious than others.

It is also not really hard to believe that the Taxi would still have been there after a few minutes.  It was in front of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, right?  Perhaps the driver was hoping to pick up another fare, or was just sitting there until he got his next call, as taxis in Geneva don't tend to just drive around hoping to be flagged down.

In any case, we all know that Geneva is relatively safe, as cities go, but that things do happen here.  In the fall of 2009, my husband and I were walking home from a birthday party and came across someone on Quai du Mont Blanc who was kicking and beating a woman, and also trying to throw her over the rail.  My husband grabbed the guy while I caught the girl and tried to get her across the street into the hotel to call for help.  (No, we don't suggest that everyone do this.  My husband is a double black belt and martial arts / self-defense instructor). Turns out it was a couple who had gotten into a fight, but that might make it even worse!

The story of this young man man is just another sad example showing that sometimes, bad things happen.  Take it or leave it.

For good orders sake

The guy who shot at the hedge trimmer was released pending trial.  Remember this is Europe and you are innocent until proved guilty (unlike DSK).  He was no longer a threat as his gun had been confiscated. 

Um, he admitted to the shooting. We can only hope that the police checked to see whether he does not have another gun... They could have sent him for psychiatric evaluation. Why assume this guy was no longer a threat?

Yes, I know this is Switzerland -- where the Swiss go unpunished and foreigners get put in jail.... where Swiss rapist/murderers get taken out for picnics and then escape until they are too tired to run any more and give themselves up while quaffing a beer.

BTW, DSK was released on bail. 

After several days in prison. 

I agree the guy who shot the hedge trimmer in the head may be should not be allowed to wander around free - at least not on Sundays

Gee, that's funny! I'm sure the victim who suffered from a slight head wound finds it so...

Please show me in the article where it says the gunman was in prison as I seem to have missed that part in the three paragraphs unless you read it elsewhere.

"La police est intervenue peu après les faits au domicile du tireur qui a admis son geste. «L’arme a été saisie», indique Patrick Pulh, porte-parole de la police genevoise, confirmant notre information. Après avoir été entendu, l’auteur, âgé de 21 ans, a été relâché. Il sera convoqué ultérieurement par le Ministère public."

At what time did he shoot the neighbour making noise with the hedge trimmer? 

Because at some hours of the day, here in Switzerland it might even be your right to do it. 

I was referring to DSK being in prison - am multitasking today

@Paul.Everett to be fair the warning is not full of discrepancies, the warning is don't take risks and be safe. The reported story in your opinion has discrepancies.

We know attacks happen in Geneva and do not get reported in the papers as per G___ post above (girl getting her throat cut in broad daylight) it doesn't mean it didn't happen. I for one do not believe 'everything' I read in the papers whether it be good or bad.

I definitely agree they should be more professional.  For one thing they could start answering their phones--good luck getting anyone to pick up.

But they sure were busy yesterday with about 40 demonstrators that entered UN grounds by jumping over the fence... 

http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/Des-manifestants-s-introduisent-dans-l-ONU-29972121

http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/Des-manifestants-s-introduisent-dans-l-ONU-29972121

G___ thanks for your faith in me buddy....

Internations parties??? Never been to one yet... is the talent good at those things?

As to harassing people... i dont harass girls (as far as I know) , the only people in Geneva I have had altercations with are  just drunken asians who mistakenly think they can "kung fu" a well oiled Irishman at 3am...

Top tip... roundhouse Bruce Lee style  kicks dont work when you have a beer breathed paddy in war paint up close and personal....

As to the rest... well so far I have been lucky , and dont tend to interact with strangers when Im walking between bars...unless theyre pretty that is...

Are you alright? SO many of us living here are expats and lack information on the safe and unsafe "whereabouts" in Geneva. This incident is here to remind us to be SAFE in this city which despite its size, has a fair share of crime.

What happened to that young man is sad, i hope justice is brought forth to those drug dealer stupids.

I get the feeling that Geneva is more concerned with protecting its squeaky clean image than the safety of it's inhabitants.. Sure it may be safe enough but how many people have NOT heard of such similar stories of ANY sort of crime.. about something that's happened to themself or someone they know?

Sure Geneva may not be as bad as 'other' cities but what is the population of those cities? For a city of this (small-ish) size I find the amount of crime that is reported (and of course we never about the crime that goes UNreported) appalling.

And I agree that the police don't seem to be doing anything.

The fact that there are spots in Geneva where there are small groups that attempt pick-pocketing and at least minor attacks is very worrying. It is puzzling why the police allows this.

(I am quite muscular...). They tried to steal my wallet two times in the last three years: a) at the passage under the pont du Mont-Blanc and in the Joction near the University buildings. Both times in the afternoon. The methodology is: one guy approaches, asks one question and touches the side of the knee and tries to take the wallet the moment you are surprised. He is backed by a very visible group of 3-4 people which are some meters behind.

These guys seem to be under the influence of something that makes them feel that they can outrun anybody if needed.

Simple, frequent street patrols can solve the problem.

I personally felt cheated by the publicity I received for Geneva as an ultrasafe place.

I never thought "Geneva" would be such a risky place to live. in just four months i  personally know 2 car broken cases and few attempted pickpocket case happened to my friends..

all said, we should take care of ourselves and never believe strangers as they may not claim to be what they are..

interesting thread...
GVA definitely has a lot of crime for a city this size...i'm sure the ratio compares to a LON or NYC
i've had my rear view mirror smashed 6 times for no apparent reason...

as far as take a taxi and dont walk is concerned....
sometimes one needs to walk from their parking spot (which is a lottery in geneva) to home (because not everyone can afford a driver and most buildings dont have valet parking)..and sometimes....in just that short walk, i have seen groups of 3-4 guys trying to get my attention..asking me where from etc....sometimes i have also seen fights breaking out between guys for no apparent reason in the direction im walking to!!!!...what does a girl do? I have never seen the police anywhere in town at 3-4am..

keep your phones dialed on 117....and hope for the best...

this is not to say that one must become paranoid...but one should always listen to their instinct....

run if your gut is telling you to run....

peace, love and harmony to all

Comm'on people, let's not overreact here.  No disspect to any other posters or to the victim of the described incident.

Let's pull the crime stats for Geneva, I am pretty sure that the crime statistics would show a pretty safe city.  In San Francisco, where I am from, we had a few recent years with 100 murders and right across the bay in Oakland they were averaging close to a 200 murders a year.  Recently, in one of the main areas where I used to hang out at night there were half a dozen people shot and stabbed.  It doesn't mean I was ever scared or paranoid when I went out late at night.

I bet if we saw the facts, facts=the crime stats, that they would show Geneva to be a very safe city vis-a-vis most other cities in Europe.  Maybe bordering on sleepy safe, that's not to say that there isn't petty crime.

It is always a good idea to be a little cautious late at night, paranoia isn't necessary, just knowing your surroundings and exercising a reasonable amount of caution.

Haven't been able to find any officla suisse stats, here's a state dept link on crime in Geneva in 2010, this sounds about right, a lot of pick-pockets, car break-ins, apt robberies, etc.  However, I'd be quite surprised if there is a high # of incidents of violent crime.

https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportPDF.aspx?cid=9137

Cheers

 A friend of mine saw some woman having her wallet snatched right out of her purse at Place de Nations yesterday, around six in the evening. There was a whole gang collaborating, so the first one threw it to a second who ran away, or something like that. Yep, things happen. I still refuse to walk around like a scared little mouse in this city!

The only good solution for insecurity is more proximity police: police or private security STAYING in some spots and walking around (vs patrolling in cars), even at night, and also more adequate police training.

Who could pretend Geneva does not have the financial or human resources for that ?

As a Swiss guy, I feel sometimes safer in African or Latin American public places (where there always is security presence) than in Geneva.

The situation has gotten really bad in Geneva in the last years, even though "statistics" might say the opposite.

Many (older) people will tell you that this is not true, that insecurity is just a paranoid feeling. Those are usually people who don't go out in the streets much (especially at night) and still live in the past and their dreams of an ideal society...

But of course one can always say that it could be worse or that another place in the world is worse... It doesn't make Geneva better

I just hope local (people and) politicians will react and not let the situation deteriorate...

It seems that Le Matin has picked up on the story. Here is the link:

http://www.lematin.ch/actu/suisse/l%E2%80%99onu-alerte-ses-employes-contre-les-dangers-de-geneve

Been attacked once, and 1 attempted robbery and bike stolen, while living in Geneva for 3 years. Lived in London and south england for 9 years and never a problem. Now living in Zurich and feel much safer on the streets at night. Would recommend a move up here if you are thinking about it.

i'd agree with matt b and richard a: a little common sense can go a long way to keeping us all safe and sound. here's my stupid story... i was jumped walking home while i was quite drunk after fete de la musique. the thing was i was dumb. these guys threw a tree branch at my sister and my girlfriend (the branch didn't come close to hitting them). these fellas were just looking for a fight. normally i would have just rolled my eyes and kept walking but being tired and drunk i let emotion get the better of me and walked over to them to tell them they were cowards to throw stuff at women. obviously this was exactly what they wanted and they all got in a few good punches. over the following weeks i got very stressed thinking about this (ie should one carry some form of protection) but i think that would just make things a lot worse (for men because we do tend to want to fight wen pushed, i'm not speaking for women here). i can just imagine getting arrested for defending myself with a shark pen or extendable nightstick - now that would REALLY suck! so just train yourself to think twice before walking across the city in the wee hours of the morning, especially if you're drunk - sorry to drop that horrendous old cliché but prevention is better than the cure!

maybe this is a result of massive immigration??

Of course it is. If all us expats hadn´t been in Geneva to work, there would be no harassment of UN staff, diplomats and others either. Nobody would deny that Geneva has a massive work immigration. 

My point is that what annoys me with the debate about immigration and dangerous foreigners in Geneva doesn't nuance the fact that most foreigners in Geneva are her for work. And most of us have a damn thing we can say when it comes to how the place should be run, as we can't vote anyway.

Sorry, some errors:

My point is that what annoys me with the debate about immigration and dangerous foreigners in Geneva is that it doesn't nuance the fact that most foreigners in Geneva are here for work. And most of us don't have a damn thing we can say when it comes to how the place should be run, as we can't vote anyway.

I just said that seeing all the posters they have in switzerland calling for a stop to massive immigration, seeing the posters made me wonder if they have and immigration problem maybe illegal immigration. :)

The statement that half of the UN staff comes here as an intern for 3-6 months is just ridiculous.  Those agencies that accept interns accept at most a few hundred per year compared to the many thousands of staff members.

I am not saying anything about the ability to have voting rights, but it really shouldn't matter if someone is here for 3 months or 30 years.  While they are here, this is their home, and they have the right to be safe and comfortable.  That is what this thread is about.

Following Le Matin, now the Tribune de Geneve has also picked up the story (albeit nearly a month after the incident):

http://www.tdg.ch/fils-diplomate-americain-violemment-agresse-geneve-2011-08-14

According to the article, the issue of security of international personnel will be reviewed on September 12th with the President of the Confederation, Micheline Calmy-Rey.

I just got a call from a reporter in the Tribune de Geneve who is going deeper on how expats feel about safety in Geneva. They're also trying to get more info about the UN employee attack.

If you know the guy who was attacked and/or someone close to him who might be willing to provide more info on the case, could you pls let me know? The Tribune would love to give them a stage for their feelings, in 100% annonimity if they prefer.

Thanks,

Nir
078 883 60 05
[email protected]

It appears the Tribune de Geneve has already done some research (see page 13 of today's edition.  I admit that I was one of the sceptical ones and it appears that something did happen but the article goes on to state that such a general 'alert' was not appreciated by the director general of the UN.

I can understand that the paper is interested in finding out what actually happened before the outcome of the police enquiry.

Please read my message.  I am NOT saying anything about voting rights, as I don't really have an opinion on this.  I made two comments:

1. The statement that 50% of the UN workers are interns is ridiculous

2. People should have the right to feel safe where they live.

How can anyone argue with these two things?

Jason did not see your post so afraid what I said was repetitive

No worries, Paul.  No offense taken.

Besides, your post added the insight that the director-general of the UN did not appreciate such a general 'alert.'

Hello,

I am looking to move this story on from the initial UN notification to the wider issue of personal security in Geneva. If any of you think there is an angle that should be explored please PM me.

Many thanks

Lucia

I'm surprised there didn't seem to be much coverage or discussion of the up to 30 offices that were broken into in July, including a number of foreign diplomatic missions (including those of India, Somalia, Sudan, Arab League, and Guinea). 

http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/18357498

http://www.radiofrontier.ch/news/local-news/genevas-foreign-missions-victims-of-burglary-spree-328/

Radio Cité Genève this morning:.... the message from the high-level American UN staff-member concerning the attack on his son has provoked some "waves" and Calmy-Rey herself has expressed her concern over security in Geneva.

glocals.com and Nir are quoted on this matter on page 15 of todays TDG. It's a good article. Bravo glocals for getting this topic some much needed publicitiy.

From http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/wrsnews/government-concerned-about-geneva-safety.shtml?25995

Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey is voicing disquiet over the recent deterioration of the security situation in Geneva.

Calmy-Rey expressed her concerns in a letter to the authorities in Geneva.

The department of foreign affairs said on Monday that security in Geneva is a priority given the importance of its international organizations and permanent missions.

Calmy-Rey is due to meet with Geneva authorities about the issue on September 12.

The move follows a vicious attack on the son of an American UN diplomat in Geneva and the subsequent publication of an internal UN email urging staff to be cautious when traveling around the city. 

So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the attack.

Last year, Geneva authorities published a survey showing more than two-thirds of foreigners felt security in the city had worsened. "

and from swissinfo at http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Geneva_attack_prompts_warnings.html?cid=30912840

Hello again,

Please keep feeding this thread with information, views, experiences. It is a hugely important issue, and it is obvious it is a real concern in Geneva not only for foreign employees, but also for people native to this area.

Many thanks

Lucia

Son of an American UN diplomat in Geneva makes Police move !!

This is a problem in it's self ?

Damien,

My apologies, but what do you mean 'makes police move' ?

Could you please explain your purpose in doing this and whether you are writing for a particular website or news agency? Thanks!

Does it take a serious incident such as this, to wake up the Geneva authorities to the problem of security in Geneva, and the UN to bring it to the attention of the President of the Confederation?

I'm an ex-pat, long-time resident in Geneva, who has seen a serious deterioration of safety over the last several years.  Recently, I was the victim of an attempted robbery at Gare Cornavin.  The thief, a young man from France, was stopped by passers-by, arrested, fined 2,000 Swiss francs, and released.  This is the first time in my life that I've been the victim of attempted robbery, and I have lived in New York before the days of Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg, who made the city of New York - with its population of 8 million, a safer place to live than Geneva with its 185,000 inhabitants.  The prisons are over-crowded and penalties are too lax.  The police may be overwhelmed - processing my complaint took them a whole hour.  I believe, though, that it is the lax attitude of the authorities that is the cause of rising insecurity.  News of this attempted robbery made it into "20 Minutes" the next day, while I note that news of the more serious incident concerning the young American seems to have been covered up.

Both the Swiss authorities and Swiss inhabitants are rather passive on issues concerning well-being:  safety, health, environment.  It has taken a foreigner and the UN to call attention of the issue of safety to the highest level of the Swiss Government.  I wish the young man total recovery from this trauma and a strict penalty for the perpetrators.

This reply is for Molly.  You have only to read the Tribune de Genève every day and you will see news of other, similar incidents.  Yes, the place where the incident occurred may be lighted at night, but at 4 am there are not many persons in the streets. 

Please also read my post.  The attempted personal robbery took place on a Saturday morning in Gare Cornavin with hundreds of persons around.  Violent criminality is on the rise in Geneva and persons in the street are being aggressed for no apparent reason in full daylight.

Geneva authorities have statistics indicating a 50% increase offenses in 2011 vs 2010:

http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu/forte-augmentation-agressions-premier-semestre-2011-2011-08-16

Elsewhere in local press, a summary of crimes: heroin trafficing - shows Geneva has become The place for drugs exchange, a local public official was beat up in Planpalais for not giving 3 kids a cigarette, a police officer was beat up arresting a drug dealer, kilos of marijuana were grabbed at the border. http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/faits-divers

Point is: the (bad) news is out there, the crime motives are clear to local officials - it's mainly drug driven. Let's see where it leads.

I work for LeTemps and we are trying to investigate about violence in Lausanne and Geneva. We are very interested about your story and your point of view.

If you accept to talk about your experience, please call me at 022.888.58.58 and ask for Gilles. If not, could you explain more in details what happened to you in Geneva please?

Thank you very much

I work for LeTemps and we are trying to investigate about violence in Lausanne and Geneva. We are very interested about your story and your point of view.

If you accept to talk about your experience, please call me at 022.888.58.58 and ask for Gilles. If not, could you explain more in details what happened to you in Geneva please?

Thank you very much

Thank you for sharing this, and I believe you are right our own safety will come down to our personal choices / actions in most cases.  I am a late night walker and have done so in many cities, New York, LA, Chicago in  the US along with London Paris and Geneva here in Europe.  I generally have felt safe in all cases, but it is clear to me that you have to pay attention and keep your head.  In Geneva over the past few years there has been "deterioration" I am not really in agreement with the word but I understand it.  What I have seen in my late night walks through the Paquis and Eaux Vives has been a higher level of activity at night.  This is in most cases I think people who are kind of looking for trouble or for easy pray.  But even in broad day light I have seen some things that are showing that there is growth of people with some bad intentions.  A couple years ago I watched as a guy reached into a woman's backseat through a window in her car that was down, if my friend had not yelled at him in the act he would have taken what ever he was reaching for - on the escalator going for the bus stop at Cornivan, I got in between a man and a woman, as he was trying to grab her.  Not sure for what reason but he ran the other way so I am not sure exactly his intention.  I believe that Geneva and the police will work and try to make things safe. Geneva and Switzerland overall is a good well ran place.  But it will be up to us to stay safe as you said in your post here.  The prevention option as you say is ours to make. 

Don't walk alone late at night - walk with friends

Keep your head about you and be aware of your surroundings- be safe

and where it is safe for your to do so, help others who are in trouble or at the very least help the police get there - and be involved in helping them as much as you can. 

We do not have to be victims, our safety is ours, so we must be smart. 

All:

If you were victim of a violent attack in Geneva/Lausanne, pls get in touch with Gilles the reporter from Le Temps and talk to him about it (you can talk under a false name). Le Temps is doing an article on the topic this week, and this is our chance to be heard.

Pls call Gilles today (Wed) as early as possible, cos the article is going into print this Thursday.

Gilles: 022.888.58.58

Thanks,

Nir

The real question to me is why is it a big story about this guy, is it just because he is a son of an american UN Member. everyday people get mugged in Geneva and in every other city in the world. why should this guy pull the blanket on himself. if this situation happened to any other person (Glocals included )would they get all this attention i dont think so.  

David:

This guy just happended to be higher profile than most other people (plus it seems his case is more extreme than most), so his story made major waves. But thanks to him the issue of safety has now taken center stage, and that's a good thing. And that's the main point: security is finally getting the focus it needs.

Nir

Dear Nir,

You are right it's the main point but you have to understand that the Swiss president (Calmy-Rey's) response sounds strange to most Swiss people:

"The department of foreign affairs said on Monday that security in Geneva is a priority given the importance of its international organizations and permanent missions."

It really sounds like security is not important in itself for Geneva's inhabitants but It is important for the (financial) interests and international reputation of Geneva.

Calmy Rey's response is opportunistic and lacks dignity.

Nir, David,

My thoughts exactly.   The Genevois get mugged and robbed too, but the local authorities don't seem to be adequately addressing the issue.  Perhaps the UN saw this incident as an opportunity to take this issue to a higher level, but only in the interests of its and other international staff.

Hello Nir,

I am also investigating this story for World Radio Switzerland, and would like to speak to people who have stories to tell regarding personal safety in Geneva.

My cell is 079 681 70 18.

Many thanks

Lucia

The US government has a statutory obligation to advocate for its citizens abroad, just as every other government does.

There is no question of requesting special treatment.  It's just that in this case US officials had to turn up the volume and voice concerns in a typical non-subtle and very public manner in order to get the point across!

It is also true that Madame Calmy-Rey's statement was somewhat lacking in finesse, particularly given the fact that she served in the Canton of Geneva's Grand Conseil for years.  

Geneva should be safe for everyone and many of us expats are willing to raise our voices in support of that.

Last week my mother in Montreal called me because she was seeing on the News channel of National TV (and on every News at that time) a reportage stating that Geneva was unsafe and relating some criminal incidents that occured lately. I told her that I was not aware and it was not advertised in any Newspapers or News Channels... She told me that's curious they are talking about it here (Montreal) everywhere today. And I think also that the announcement came from UN Geneva.

So I don't know exactly what's going on right now in Geneva but it's kind of awkward that we are not aware of anything but in the other side of the ocean they are talking about it??

The victim of the attack has granted an interview to "The Illustré". What I find interesting is that his wallet, phone, etc were not taken. It was simply an act of xenophobic violence that could have ended in this guy's death, if the attackers had managed to throw him in the river while he was almost unconscious. 

I think that is were the difference lies between this, and other acts of violence that we hear in the news.

And this makes me think of the scary "stopper l'immigration massive" UDC posters; and it makes me think of the violent acts in London (recently) and Paris (a few years ago). Fear fuels violence; violence fuels fear.

The interview http://www.illustre.ch/Geneve-Daniel-G-agression-polemique-americain-Nations-unies-police_115988_.html

>>It was simply an act of xenophobic violence

One other racist act of violence that was censored by the French government:

http://www.nokenny.com/francais-agresse-par-des-racailles-dans-un-bus-parisien.html

I was walking through Pacquis when a group of people on bicyle rode up to the intersection where I was crossing.  One man broke off from the pack and drew a collapsible baton from his backpack.  He then proceeded to strike three men standing on the corner with the baton.   The men ran off and the biker chased after them.  I screamed after him in English "Are you going to fucking hit me too?" and received no response.  The biker was white and the men on the corner were black.  The group of bikers were communicating with each other by bell signals on their bicycles.  Feel unsafe with muggers?  How do you fell with vigilante justice?

The issue of safety in Geneva finally got to be a top priority not just for the local politicians, but also for the national ones in Bern. And the global press picked up on it too (example from Canada). 

With all this pressure, the politicians will have to move and allocate the resources and priorities to security. 

Just like I wrote, it was advertised on television News and Newspapers everywhere in Canada last week or a couple of days ago... incredible that I was just not aware from here but had to learn it from my folks overthere!!

Violence and safety in Geneva has been on the News last night:

http://www.tsr.ch/video/info/journal-19h30/#id=3339539

http://www.tsr.ch/video/info/journal-19h30/#id=3339535

That was bad and give lie to the often stated reason for CCTV that they are there for our security.

Three cameras and good images which much have cost (us, the passengers) a good deal of money yet there was no indication that any workable procedure was in place to get the police there quickly. 

The driver didnt know what to do an did not want to get involved (and he/she  should not ever be expected to play the hero)

That was a trauma even for the passengers untouched by the violence.

I have lived - on and off - in the Geneva area since 1980, and I can say definitively that the city and environs have changed completely.  It was an almost crime-free city, clean, safe and courteous.  I have watched with horror as it has become seedy, dirty and crime-ridden.  We have been warned about walking in the Parc Barton because someone was mugged by a guy with a knife at lunchtime.  We have been warned about mugging scams taking place near the place des Nations.  We live in a small village just 15 minutes from Geneva, and in the past few months our local bank was raided by 5 masked men, four houses were burgled in one night in our little street and recently two "gitans" (not my word) were questioned by the police who then gave chase from outside our house in broad daylight, on suspicion of casing local properties.

Be safe, be aware, and wherever possible put pressure on the authorities to do more to find out who is responsible for the crime in our city and deal with them forcefully.

I'm sorry but it is not normal to accept dealers, knowing that drug addiction leads to other crimes. Drug addicts steal, mug and kill to get what they need.

It is not normal to accept that we should have to avoid parts of the town where we pay taxes and contribute to the economical and social well-being.

It is not normal to accuse the victim of being a careless idiot.

Geneva is not safe.

Police are ineffective.

Roms, dealers, muggers, why should this be tolerated by decent people?

And no, I am not appeased or grateful when comparing Geneva to places with worse statistics. Why not compare Geneva to places with better crime statistics and ASPIRE to a safer life?

My 18 year old daughter was mugged two evenings ago. She was two blocks from home in the neighbourhood she grew up in. She has locked herself in her room ever since and is having nightmares.

If / when you have children, your entire attitude will change and suddenly you see that you can lose people you love and it is no longer acceptable.

At the moment I am very upset and anyone who wishes to be tolerant to troublemakers should harbour them at their own homes.

Citizens vote, not visiters, and not foreign workers, that's just how it is. You can apply for citizenship and then have the right to vote, where you live.

But more importantly, I believe the nuance about working immigrants in Geneva is not necessary.

It's pretty clear who the trouble-makers are, and it's not the immigrants who get up and shower every day and go to work to support themselves. It's not the tired people I see at the end of a work day doing their shopping and still having to face the drive or transport home.

Don't worry, people do know that.

What I do start to realize is that the voice of Glocals should perhaps be heard EXACTLY because most of the people on there are working immigrants. That's a pretty big population of people and glocals was quoted on "Le Temps" newspaper this morning.

Perhaps if we find a way to gather evidence and expose it

1) Record incidents and how the authorities react and expound on what the Swiss laws are and how they are reinforced (or not).

2) Report this to the world ( and not just on facebook or glocals) through some generally accepted journal / online media (say the Economist or the Financial Times or the like).

3) Polish the Glocals image (thus avoiding accusations of being trouble-makers ourselves) by ALSO recording community Glocals events (lake or street cleaning, soup kitchens, any volunteer work) record the number of glocals who are present at Marche de l'Espoir. Essentially show that we are not just here to make money but also to contribute to the city.

Geneva would be forced to admit its flaws and to make changes to restore its lovely image. Tourism, non-governmental and international organizations bring a lot of money to this city just by the consummation of goods and services here.

What organization would feel justified in sending workers (and consumers) to a city where the local ex-pats are saying it is not safe or pleasant to live here, to raise children or to walk around alone????

Even without the right to vote, Glocals has the ability to change Geneva politics. It's just that no one has ever exercised that ability...not yet.

Glocals unite!

THE PLOT THICKENS !

It seems our dear young American, son of UN diplomate, mixed up his story a bit. Finally he thinks that he was attacked by 2 or 3 people and not 10. He can't remember if he was there to buy some weed or not as he is a big consumer (he was too drunk) etc. etc.

The 24Heures has a follow up article today:

http://www.lematin.ch/actu/suisse/le-fils-du-diplomate-revient-sur-sa-version