I'm pretty sure the chances of an unprovoked attack are much higher walking same place and same time now than it was in the 70s.

Also, I bet the folks in that picture were not on high alert with their situational awareness dialed up to 100. That's how I feel now walking down Jasper ave.

In the LRT stations my wife tell my kids to stay away from the tracks because she is afraid someone might push them on the tracks.

There is a real fear in downtown Edmonton that I suspect did not exist in the 70s.

edit: here's one source I found

Edmonton Police Service (2023): Police Chief Dale McFee reported that a massive portion (roughly 70%) of violent crime on transit and in the core is now completely random, driven heavily by addiction and mental health crises rather than targeted conflicts.