Gabriel Péri Square is located at the crossroads of several major automobile routes and is a transport hub for commuters as buses, trams and trains intersect there. For decades, it has been an entry point and meeting place for new arrivals from the left bank of the Rhône, Italy or the nearby Dauphiné area. More recently, migrants from Eastern Europe and Mediterranean countries have come together in the Square to sell produce and goods as a form of economic survival. Specific problems related to this informal (and sometimes illegal) economy have arisen and combined with social tensions at the shelters for asylum seekers and homeless people, has led to an atmosphere of insecurity for residents and shopkeepers in the neighbourhood.

Objectives of the pilot project:

• Create awareness among people who sell on the Square around the prohibition of this practice and the correct use of public space
• Reassure shop keepers, traders and citizens who frequent the space
• Ease tensions
• Ensure that pedestrians can walk unheeded

Lyon City Council is committed to an integrated approach for the management of Gabriel Peri Square. The security and prevention department of the Lyon City Council is coordinating this pilot project under the deputy Mayor delegate to security and peace, together with all stakeholders involved in the project.

In addition to police actions, the city has entrusted mediation work to the “Agence Lyon Tranquillité Médiation (ALTM)”. This agency was set up on the initiative of the Lyon municipality in partnership with the State, the Lyon Metropolis, public bodies that provide social housing (Grand Lyon Habitat, OPAC du Rhône, ALLIADE Habitat, SACVL, Immobilière Rhône-Alpes and Lyon Métropole Habitat), public transport companies (SNCF, KEOLIS Lyon) and public utility companies (ERDF-GRDF, Eau du grand Lyon and La poste).

The project principle is one of shared intervention among the partners and stakeholders. This takes the form of the presence of community social mediators who can be identified by their uniform. Two social mediation professionals are positioned in the Square from Monday to Friday during business hours. Their role is one of prevention, conflict management, guidance on the needs of the population and support and assistance to vulnerable people.

The project is funded by the three public administrations. The on-going running costs are estimated to require an annual allocation of 100.000€, including human resources, and services.

The Lyon ‘Tranquillité Médiation”’ Agency (ALTM) is supported by financial contributions from various partners (local authorities / social housing companies / transporters / private stakeholders) on the basis of territorial projects. The average cost of human resources for the ALTM is around 40.000€ annual (26€/hour). 

• After 3 weeks of the pilot project’s operation, the situation generally returned to normal and the Square became regulated again.

• The combined mediation/police approach in a public space has led to a reduction in tensions between individuals, groups, traders and residents.

• The local residents and traders have a greater feeling of security, reinforced by the presence of people wearing uniform, and are less hesitant to utilize the square.

• The project has created a dialogue about the better use of the public space, which gives all interested parties a role to play in this common area. 

• The aim is to ‘heal’ the public space in a sustainable manner and best facilitate demands on the ground. In this sense, it is necessary to work on structures and orientation with partners (associative and institutional) and evaluation plan measures (e.g. cohort follow-up).

• The social situations found in the Square are complex and the responses to them are difficult and often need to be resolved with emergency services and other professional organisations that provide assistance to vulnerable people. 

• Intervention and management of conflicts in public spaces requires the mobilization of public agencies, stake holders and the community.

• Specialized external interventions are necessary to ensure mediation and dialogue between the stakeholders, to the extent that the position of the municipality can be ambiguous in this context, as it simultaneously participates in the social dialogue regardless of its management, decision-making and representation authority, while also being an operator.

- UCLG Peer learning note no. 20, Social cohesion and intercultural and inter-religious dialogue 20: https://www.learning.uclg.org/sites/default/files/documents/20_social_cohesion_and_dialogue_lisboa_june2016.pdf

UCLG Learning Team

(learning@uclg.org)