Swiss police president warns of looting and rebellion as blackouts loom

The president in charge of Swiss cantonal police has warned of “looting and rebellion” if the threat of blackouts this winter becomes a reality. The Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (KKJPD) claimed that the government is yet to take the safety of residents into account when preparing for the expected power shortages.

Blackout would have significant consequences for Switzerland

President of the KKJPD, Fredy Fässler, told Blick that a “network cut or a blackout would have significant consequences.” “Imagine: you can no longer withdraw money at the ATM, you can no longer pay by card in a store or fill up at the gas station. And all the heaters no longer work. It is cold. The streets are plunged into darkness,” he warned.

As a result of these fears, Fässler said that the emergency services are looking into the prospect of "looting and rebels" on the streets, particularly during the night. “We have already seen during ecological disasters that some people stole objects that were no longer protected, in stores in particular,” he explained. Fässler assured that the police, fire brigade and ambulance services would all be on high alert during a blackout.

KKJPD: Swiss government should prepare population for power cuts

Crucially, in the president's view, while authorities in Bern have been preoccupied with trying to prevent blackouts - such as by agreeing to new gas deals with Qatar and installing new solar farms - they have neglected to prepare the country and population for power cuts, should they ever occur.

Despite the shortcomings, the president of KKJPD assured that authorities are more prepared than they used to be for blackouts. Fässler noted that they carried out a “blackout security exercise” in 2014, which exposed “major shortcomings, such as the absence of emergency generators for the police, hospitals and other critical infrastructure." "These gaps have been filled in recent years,” he said.

In concluding the interview, Fässler demanded that his organisation be more involved in the planning for this winter. “We will thus be able to directly express the concerns and fears of the cantons in terms of security,” he asserted.