Police continue search for youths

As reported in yesterday's edition of the Zug Post, a 17-year-old youth was attacked by a number of young men outside the entrance to the public conveniences at Platzwehri near Landsgemeindeplatz ( second photograph) late on Friday evening.
 
As Judith Aklin of the Zug Police confirmed, so violent was the attack that the victim suffered fractures to his face. "So far we have only the victim's description of the offenders. We made an appeal for witnesses but no-one has come forward," she said, as she went on to say that acts of violence such as this were very rare in Zug.
 
Not long ago another act of violence took place in Sins, just over the cantonal border in Argovia. On this occasion a 16-year-old Bosnian and a 20-year-old Turkish man attacked a 36-year-old Swiss man who worked at the fair there. He managed to make his own way to hospital for treatment to the injuries he sustained to the face and head. Other attacks have happened at Zug Station ( main photograph) over the years. Long-standing expats will remember how an Englishman was once attacked and seriously injured by a group of youths after they had accosted his wife there.
 
In summer last year a 30-year-old man from Schwyz and his friend were attacked and even kicked in the head at an incident at the Aperto snack bar also at Zug Station.
 
How does Allan Guggenpohl, a well known Swiss psychologist, who is an expert on juvenile crime, explain all this? "Unfortunately such acts of violence are not uncommon among young people on a night out. Sometimes it only takes one wrong word or a particular look to provoke violence. Not unsurprisingly, alcohol often plays a role, as do the high spirits which are frequently found in a group of young men together. It cn be the case that some in the group want to prove something to others. This may not be anything to do with the social frustration felt by some young people; it is more that sudden aggression can arise and it only takes one trigger to make it boil over. In many cases the culprits actually later regret what they did on the spur of the moment," he said.
 
"And what should one do if one finds oneself in a situation like the 17-year-old near Landesgemeindeplatz on Friday night?" asked the journalist.
 
"Try to get out of the way as soon as possible and do not do anything provocative such as look at them," he advised.
 
Rolf Noelkes, who provides victim support in the city, was very surprised to hear of the level of violence in Friday night's attack. "We have had two years of calm in the city after we managed to keep a group of rowdy youths under control," he said.