The Youth Center will have surveillance from a private security company. This has been assured by the Councilor for Youth of Arrecife, Jacobo Lemes, who has admitted, as a result of the fight that took place in the vicinity of these facilities on Saturday, that for about two months there have been "altercations" in that area. The perpetrators, it is believed, could be minors from a nearby juvenile center, who usually gather on some stairs next to the Youth Center. Lemes has advocated "protecting" the users of the House, but also for "education campaigns" by the institutions, to "integrate" the young people who would be causing these problems.
"Until Saturday, small things had happened, some petty theft. The Local Police were notified to do something with the USCI and they made their surveillance rounds, but it is not effective, because you have to be there every day and they are minors, so they cannot be kicked out", Lemes explained on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, referring to that group of young people, supposedly minors and belonging to a juvenile center. The councilor has already conveyed his "concern" to the National and Local Police and has also indicated that he will request the "reports of the surveillance rounds" of the municipal agents.
According to Lemes, the mother of one of the minor users of the Youth Center came a month ago to alert him to what was happening. Since then, the problems have "escalated", culminating in the brawl this Saturday that ended with a 19-year-old young man slightly injured, who had to be taken to the hospital. In this regard, Jacobo Lemes explained that the boys who were allegedly attacked last Saturday, around 9:00 p.m., were a "group of friends who get together to play soft combat" at the Youth Center. "And four children, four thugs, cannot be bothering and even attacking a group of young people", he added.
Lemes has also indicated that the family of the young man who was injured went to the municipal facilities to request the security camera recordings this Monday. The City Council, however, cannot provide them to individuals, but to police forces, so they urged them to file a complaint, the councilor said.
Jacobo Lemes has explained that, as a result of this situation, he has already met with a security company and has taken some measures, such as temporarily removing the Wi-Fi internet access that the exterior of the Youth Center had. According to him, that free connection could be "one of the attractions for these kids", so it was decided to "turn it off". Regarding security, Lemes has pointed out that his intention is to provide the facilities with private surveillance "especially in the afternoon, to ensure the user of the Youth Center". His goal, he said, is to "eradicate" the problem and "provide protection" to the young people who come to this public building.
"We cannot have young people waiting to fight"
Lemes has explained that after having the building "closed for 10 years", it is now "operating at 100% with young people". "That must be protected like gold", he defended. However, the councilor believes that other actions must be carried out to solve the situation. "Then we would have to take another step, which would be education, awareness and finding solutions not only from the Youth area, but also from the Cabildo and other institutions", he said.
And the capital city councilor for Youth advocates for "education campaigns" to "integrate" the young people who could be causing these altercations. "I suppose the Local Police will make inquiries" to find the identity of these young people "and will even go to the center to talk to the superiors", Lemes said. Once this is done, the councilor considers that there should be an action by the "Cabildo, the City Council and Social Services". "We have to do something", he said, suggesting that the campaign to "integrate" from the center itself, for which it would be necessary to "talk to those responsible for that center", if the young people are indeed under their tutelage.
"In my opinion, we will put private surveillance, we will put more police presence, we will take these kids out of some stairs that are between the Department of Youth and Sports, Social Services and the Youth Center, a somewhat hidden point, but the problem is that they will go somewhere else to do their thing. We have to do some education campaign. We cannot have young people sitting waiting for someone to pass by to fight", he defended. While a solution is found, the Department led by this councilor is also considering "closing" the passage that connects the Youth Center with Social Services. That space "was opened with the spirit of having access to Social Services", he explained. Now, however, the councilor is considering that that area remains accessible only during the opening hours of that department.
