Police prepare for theft, drugs and crowds at Street Parade

Police in Zurich are preparing for large crowds, theft and drug-related offences at Saturday’s Street Parade, the world’s largest techno party. Swiss broadcaster SRF reported Friday that several hundred thousand people are expected around the city’s lake basin.

Police officers in uniform and plain clothes will patrol the event grounds while music plays from Love Mobiles and stages. Large events of this scale regularly present security challenges for law enforcement.

Last year, police received numerous reports of snatched jewellery and stolen wallets and mobile phones. Anita Gfeller, a spokesperson for Zurich City Police, said events of this kind increasingly attract theft gangs targeting ravers.

Police are urging visitors to leave jewellery and other valuables at home where possible. Cash, credit cards and mobile phones should be carried close to the body. Zurich City Police will also use social media and screens at the stages to warn about pickpocketing.

Managing the crowds will be another central challenge. If critical concentrations of people develop in individual areas, police and the organisers will activate prepared diversion measures to spread out the flows of people.

Security authorities are continuing to assess the situation before the event, taking current developments into account. Gfeller said the security plan has long included vehicle barriers to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering the festival grounds. Security personnel have been particularly alert following the attack on Christopher Street Day in Berlin almost two weeks ago.

Last year, police arrested 48 people for various offences. Drug investigators seized a total of 50 grams of cocaine and several hundred ecstasy pills.

Zurich City Police will again combine a visible presence with covert operations. Alongside numerous uniformed officers, plain-clothes personnel from several departments will patrol the grounds. The high density and constant movement of visitors, as well as brief and often inconspicuous handovers, make it difficult to detect drug dealing, police said.

The Drug Information Centre recommends avoiding drug experiments at large events because substances may be mislabelled or mixed with unknown substances. Visitors should have illegal substances tested at drug-checking laboratories before consuming them where possible, avoid mixing alcohol with other substances, drink water regularly in the heat, never consume drugs alone and never drive afterwards. Anyone feeling unwell should seek a quiet, shaded place and call emergency services on 144 if necessary. Drinks should not be left unattended to prevent unwanted substances being added.