How to combine cops and che Linz young people through Tikkok

How to combine cops and che Linz young people through Tikkok

in Linz and Traun, the two Tikkok stars, Grätzelpolizan Uwe Schaffer and the Chechen influencer Ahmad Mitaev, cause a stir. Your videos have achieved impressive 20 million views and offer a platform that reaches young people and appeals to important social issues. Interactions are about questions such as dealing with cannabis and training with the police, which appeals to many young people and stimulates them for discussion

Ahmad Mitaev has an eventful past that was characterized by conflicts with the police. He reports of painful experiences such as attacks during controls. But that changed with Uwe Schaffer, who helped him look at the image of the police from a new perspective. This collaboration is a key moment that caused the two to be accurate and often controversial from a camouflage.

an important conversation at eye level

The fact that Mitaev can communicate with Schaffer at eye level is very important for him. The conversation with a police officer without prejudices or convictions was new for him and was a further step towards normalizing this relationship. The contact of the two began at a workshop in Vienna, during which the idea came to improve police work in the Chechen community with a means such as Tikok.

The desire for a positive representation of the police ultimately led to the common videos - a challenge that was not easy to implement. Schaffer had to do persuasion until the approval was finally granted to bring the concept on Tiktok. This approach proves to be fertile when you consider how many young people can be reached via this platform.

a sign of hope

The effects of the videos are remarkable. During a reading in Traun and Linz, the two also share their story about Edith Meinhart's book, which deals with their partnership. It is an impressive example of how two different ways of life collide and to show each other respect and understanding. Ahmad wants to show that his past, with all its challenges, is not the only way and that there are ways to make the future positive.

The support of local politics is shown by the presence of city councilors who take part in the event to find out how radicalization young people can be recognized. The youth work and the innovative approaches of "cop and che" offer a valuable perspective to combat extremist influences. Young people see role models in them that help them orient themselves in a pluralistic society.

It remains to be seen to what extent the approaches of "cop and che" can serve as a model for other communities in Linz and beyond, in order to get in touch with young people and to tackle their realities. The discussion about alternative offers such as this is of great importance for the demarcation between extremism and integration. The realization that there are numerous young people who are looking for a contact person is the first step towards a more open and supported society.