Anti-WEF demo in Zurich turns violent
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Anti-WEF demo in Zurich turns violent
An anti-WEF demonstration on Monday evening turned violent, resulting in property damage and clashes with police. Several thousand people took part in the rally at the start of the World Economic Forum, as reported by the Zurich city police.
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The demonstration with the slogan “Trump still not welcome!” set off from the Stadthausanlage shortly before 7 pm and continued through districts 1 and 4 to Helvetiaplatz, where some of the participants arrived at around 8:30 pm.
According to the police, firecrackers, smoke petards and other fireworks were repeatedly set off along the way. According to the statement, there was also spray-painting along the route, paint bags were thrown at facades and shop windows were smashed on the corner of Bahnhofstrasse and Uraniastrasse. The amount of property damage is still unknown.
Another part of the demonstrators, including members of the so-called black bloc, did not make their way to Helvetiaplatz after the end of the authorised demonstration, but instead formed an unauthorised post-demonstration in the area of Militärstrasse and Kasernenstrasse. After a blockade set up there was initially tolerated, the police broke it up shortly after 9:30 pm with a water cannon. Subsequently, police officers were pelted with stones and fireworks. The police used chemical irritants and rubber bullets.
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No injuries
On the way to Helvetiaplatz, the police reported further damage to property, including damaged windows at a tram stop. Demonstrators also erected barricades and set fire to several rubbish containers. The professional fire brigade from Schutz & Rettung Zurich was called out to extinguish the fire. The demonstration broke up shortly before 11 pm.
Two police officers were reportedly hit by stones but remained unharmed. The police initially had no reports of injured demonstrators.
The demonstration was called by the left-wing organisation “Movement for Socialism”. It was directed against the appearance of US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Translated from German by AI/jdp
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