Davos protestors block Swiss motorway

Unable to reach the Alpine site of the World Economic Forum, anti-globalisation protesters tried on Thursday to keep others from getting there as well. Police said they made 15 arrests after a go-slow protest on a motorway leading to the site of the meeting.

The canton Glarus police said four cars on the motorway between Zurich and Chur suddenly slowed down, turned on their warning lights and came to a stop near Bilten, 90 kilometres from Davos.

Police quickly cleared the traffic jam and took the 15 people in the cars into custody for questioning. A judge set bail for each at SFr1,000.

Eleven of those in custody were non-Swiss, police said, adding that they were believed to be protesting against the World Economic Forum.

Also on Thursday, anti-globalisation protesters sought to slow traffic on a local road near Landquart, 40 kilometres from Davos. Police eventually stopped four of the vehicles on the road.

When a fifth car failed to stop immediately, a police officer broke a window, injuring the driver, the protesters claimed on their website.

Police in the canton Graubünden, in which the ski resort of Davos is located, said they were still investigating.

The authorities have banned demonstrations in Davos during the six days of the World Economic Forum, which opened on Thursday. Last year around 1,000 anti-globalisation protestors made it to Davos, some dressed as skiers, and two police officers were injured when a demonstrations turned violent and rioters damaged a McDonald’s restaurant.

This year the police have put up barbed wire and steel barricades and residents were boarding some windows, but no disturbances were reported.

swissinfo with agencies