Ibiza: safe

While the White Isle enjoys low levels of recorded violent incidents in 2006, gun crime in major European urban centres remains high.

While the White Isle enjoys low levels of recorded violent incidents in 2006, gun crime in major European urban centres remains high.
 
San Antonio mayor Joan Panteloni pointed out recently in an interview with a local paper that, the recent shootings in his jurisdiction aside, figures for 2006 are at their normal low levels.
 
The gun fight between gangs earlier this month was a shocking incident - two innocent young men were seriously wounded. Arrests have been made, we sincerely hope the perpetrators have been caught and will be punished. That and singer James Blunt's problems with stalkers who identified too closely with the fixated narrator of 'Beautiful' do not a crime wave make. There is no nightmare world of contract killings. 
 
So to claim that this statistical non-event is intensifying is ridiculous - a writer who does so posesses sub-tabloid news values and has almost certainly visited Ibiza seldom if at all.

Several years ago the opinion commonly expressed in mainstream newspapers was that the club scene in Ibiza was imploding. It never happened.

By taking incidents out of context and exaggerating their impact, media outlets got it wrong. A similar situation has occurred again - with the possible exception of a couple of well-patrolled trouble spots, Ibiza's streets are safe.
 
The roads are another matter but the police should be congratulated for largely keeping the peace. Between the Guardia Civil, the Policia Local and the security employed by clubs and other venues, the response to the inevitable problems that occur on an island that welcomes millions of tourists every year is typically quick and effective.
 
Retailers and other business leaders based in San Antonio have pledged to do more to discourage the turista borracho (drunk tourism) that few defend. Measures put forward include a complete ban on street drinking and the compulsory wearing of shirts.