Swiss cities react to rising youth knife crime

Police are finding more youths carrying knives in some parts of Switzerland. Keystone / Martin Ruetschi

The Swiss cities of Zurich and Basel have launched awareness campaigns to dissuade youths from carrying knives, after observing a rise in the number of stabbing injuries.

The campaign entitled “Your mother doesn’t want you to go to jail” highlights the consequences of stabbings both for victims and perpetrators.

“If someone commits a stabbing it is grievous bodily harm and they have to answer for it,” Daniel Sollberger of Basel city police told Swiss public broadcaster SRF. 

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Police and youth workers report a rise in the number of young people carrying knives. For instance, at a Basel autumn fair last year, one in eight youths who were searched were carrying knives.

The number of serious acts of violence in Switzerland increased by 16.6% to 1,942 offences in 2022, the highest value since such statistics started to be recorded in 2009.

Last year, minors made up 12% of all people charged for crimes in Switzerland and young adults (aged 18 to 24) another 15%.