Bern’s municipal parliament unanimously condemned the violence that erupted during last Saturday’s pro-Palestinian protest, but disagreed sharply over how the authorities handled it, reported SRF.
The demonstration, held without authorisation, degenerated into clashes that left 18 police officers injured. Pro-Palestinian groups said several hundred demonstrators and bystanders were also hurt. Property damage is estimated in the millions of francs.
The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) called the city’s strategy a failure and demanded that future protests be confined to the grounds of the Reitschule, a well-known alternative cultural centre. The Centre Party urged police to stop unauthorised gatherings before they grow. The Liberal Democrats (PLR/FDP) argued that the protest’s organisers had glorified violence from the outset.
Left-leaning parties, while deploring the unrest, questioned whether the police response was proportionate. Reports of rubber bullets fired at eye level must be investigated, insisted the Socialist Party (SP), the council’s largest party.
Mayor Marieke Kruit of the SP promised a full inquiry. She praised the police for operating under difficult conditions and denounced the rioters. “It is legitimate to demonstrate against Israel’s war in Gaza,” she said, “but we do not accept this violence.”
Alec von Graffenried, the city’s security chief, said police must use force when the rule of law is under attack.
Police release details of those detained
Police said they had surrounded and identified 536 people during the protest, many suspected of belonging to the “black bloc”, a loose network of far-left militants. Violence flared, with fires, smashed shop fronts, tear gas and water cannons.
New data revealed that about half of those detained were women; 80% had travelled from other cantons, many from French-speaking Switzerland; and 85% were Swiss citizens. Most were in their twenties, and 23 were minors. All have since been released.
A tough case for the courts
Prosecutors now face the challenge of proving who did what. Many rioters wore helmets, goggles and multiple layers of clothing. “During the encirclement, some removed outer layers to hinder later identification,” said Michael Bettschen, deputy head of Bern’s regional police.
It seems clear that some demonstrators may have breached the peace, an offence punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine under the criminal code.
Prosecutors may also consider charges of violence against public officials. That, however, is trickier: such offences must be proved against each individual, a demanding task when suspects are masked and part of a crowd.
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
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