A table tennis table sits outside the Reitschule, 20 December 2013.
KEYSTONE/Peter Klaunzer)
Keystone
Visitors at the re-opening of the Reitschule on 4 August, 2016.
(KEYSTONE/Manuel Lopez)
Keystone
The interior of the former stables on 15 February 1988. (KEYSTONE/Str)
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A meal to celebrate the autonomous culture centre's 20th anniversary on 2 November, 2007.
KEYSTONE/ Lukas Lehmann)
Keystone
Police move in to eject squatters on 15 April 1982. (KEYSTONE/Str)
Keystone
The Rollins Band perform a concert on 17 November 1989. (KEYSTONE/Alessandro della Valle)
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The Reithalle pictured on 9 June, 2013, one of the occasions voters have been called upon to decide its future.
(KEYSTONE/Lukas Lehmann)
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Police arrive again on 31 May, 1995 after squatters ignored an order to clear out.
(KEYSTONE/Edi Engeler)
Keystone
Bern politicians hand in another initiative on 11 May, 2016, to stop taxpayers' money being spent on the controversial centre.
(KEYSTONE/Marcel Bieri)
Keystone
The entrance to the Reithalle on 20 December, 2013, as the city authorities decide whether to continue funding following more violence.
(KEYSTONE/Peter Klaunzer)
Keystone
The Reitschule in Bern is a venue of many faces that has had a colourful history in recent decades.
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Thomas Kern was born in Switzerland in 1965. Trained as a photographer in Zürich, he started working as a photojournalist in 1989. He was a founder of the Swiss photographers agency Lookat Photos in 1990. Thomas Kern has won twice a World Press Award and has been awarded several Swiss national scholarships. His work has been widely exhibited and it is represented in various collections.
The 19th century building was once used by the city authorities as stables and a depot for stage coaches. But when the horses moved out, squatters occupied the premises for a period.
Today it is one of Switzerland’s liveliest entertainment venues. There have been multiple attempts to shut it down because of its association with leftwing movements – but the Reitschule has seen off all challenges.
swissinfo.ch takes a look at the often controversial history of the Reitschule in pictures.
All photos copyright of Keystone
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You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.