Up to 600 restaurant owners have protested in the western Swiss city of Neuchâtel in anger at a possible extension to the end of February of their shutdown.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jc
The authorised demonstration was peaceful and drew 500 to 600 people, according to the organisers. They said representatives from the sports and cultural sectors and members of political parties joined the masked protestors.
They had been called via a Facebook page to protest in “anger at the authorities’ management of the health crisis”.
Restaurant owner and organizer of the protest Laurent Tschanz said restaurants were being targeted as a source of Covid-19 infections because “they are the only sector required to do contact tracing. An infected person could have got infected anywhere, for example in a supermarket, but it’s the restaurant that has taken details which has to close and is considered responsible”.
Third shutdown
Restaurants in Neuchâtel, like in other parts of western French-speaking Switzerland, are currently in their third shutdown, after being allowed to reopen for some two weeks in December. Businesses in this part of the country, which had higher numbers of Covid-19 cases this autumn, have been harder hit than elsewhere, but all restaurants have been closed since December 22.
Initially announced for a month, the federal government is now considering extending the shutdown until March, with an announcement expected next week. It is also expected to announce new measures to help cushion the economic effects on affected sectors.
Responding to calls for faster, simpler compensation, economics minister Guy Parmelin, who also assumed the rotating Swiss presidency at the beginning of the year, has ruled out a new mechanism. The system must be simplified rather than creating a new one, so that funds can flow quickly, he told Swiss public broadcaster SRF on Friday evening.
More
More
Hundreds demonstrate in Geneva over restrictions on business
This content was published on
Nearly 600 people demonstrated on Thursday afternoon in Geneva at the behest of the association of café owners, restaurateurs and hoteliers.
Various heads of state confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
This content was published on
TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
This content was published on
The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
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.
Read more
More
New anti-corona measures: restaurants closed, ski areas open
This content was published on
Switzerland to close restaurants, bars for a month from Tuesday to curb the spread of the coronavirus, ski areas remain open, the government says.
Switzerland imposes early closing time for bars and restaurants
This content was published on
The government is also extending a mask-wearing obligation as part of new wide-ranging measures to fight the second wave of Covid-19.
Swiss must leave telephone numbers in bars and restaurants
This content was published on
People in Switzerland will be able to go to bars and restaurants again from May 11, but only if they leave their phone numbers.
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.