Last week city officials met with police chiefs to discuss violence in downtown Reykjavik. The City Council met with the Chief of Police, Stefán Eiríksson, to talk about what Eiríksson calls “barbarity and a bad situation”.
Eiríksson said that the main purpose of the meeting was to review the situation and the violent events that have occurred in the streets of Reykjavik at night. The major conclusion from the meeting was that cooperation is required between the police, civil authorities and the owners of prominent night clubs if the situation is to improve.
In order for the city to preserve the safety of its citizens after dark, all three groups need to stop blaming each other and work together instead, according to the police chief.
The three parties will meet again next week to discuss more concrete decisions and work out a course of action to improve the situation, according to Mayor of Reykjavík Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson.
The last seriously violent brawl occurred on July 7th, when two men had to be hospitalised after being attacked on Bankastraeti. One of the victims suffered trauma to his head, the other was treated for broken ribs and a broken ankle.