The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Police report dozens of anti-lockdown demonstrators

Demonstrators with Swiss flag
Hundreds of people protested the lockdown for the second weekend in a row. Keystone

Swiss police have issued reports against dozens of people who took part in demonstrations in four Swiss cities in defiance of a lockdown ban on more than five people gathering in public places.

Hundreds of people rallied in Bern and Zurich on Saturday, with around 100 demonstrating against the lockdown in Basel and 80 in St Gallen. All of the protests dispersed peacefully as police decided against forcefully breaking them up.

In Bern, two groups of protestors ignored police warnings that they were in violations of social distancing rules that have been in place since mid-March. Reports have been made against “several dozen” people, a police spokesperson told the Swiss news agency Keystone/SDA.

In St Gallen, police took down the details of 14 people who had been involved in the demonstration in the eastern Swiss city. Another 18 people were added to list later in the day as the rally moved to the train station.

It was the second weekend in a row that numbers of people have defied social distancing rules to protest against the lockdown.

Last weekend, police broke up several demonstrations in Swiss cities, including Bern and Zurich. The protests were against the social and economic restrictions that have been in place in Switzerland since mid-March.

The police action was questioned by civil rights group Amnesty International.

On Monday, some schools, shops and restaurants will be allowed to re-open, but large gatherings and many public buildings will remain closed for more weeks.

There have been more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Switzerland and over 1,800 deaths.

More


 

Popular Stories

News

Death of Esther Grether, owner of the Doetsch Grether Group

More

Swiss billionaire Esther Grether dies

This content was published on Esther Grether has died aged 89. Considered one of Switzerland’s leading entrepreneurs, the owner of the Basel-based Doetsch Grether Group was also a major shareholder in the Swatch Group and an art collector.

Read more: Swiss billionaire Esther Grether dies
Flag of the Swiss Wrestling Federation ceremoniously received in Mollis GL

More

Three-day Swiss wrestling festival begins

This content was published on The flag of the Swiss Wrestling Federation has been received at the start of the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Mollis, canton Glarus.

Read more: Three-day Swiss wrestling festival begins
Fifa loses multi-million lawsuit against Blatter and Kattner

More

FIFA loses multi-million lawsuit against Blatter and Kattner

This content was published on Former FIFA officials Joseph Blatter and Markus Kattner do not have to pay back their own bonuses or the bonus totalling CHF 23 million paid to another FIFA official to FIFA. This was decided by the Zurich Labour Court.

Read more: FIFA loses multi-million lawsuit against Blatter and Kattner
How cancer makes healthy cells work for itself

More

How cancer cells makes healthy cells work for them

This content was published on Cancer cells manipulate neighbouring cells for their own purposes: a research team at ETH Zurich has discovered that they can reprogram neighbouring cells in such a way that they help the tumour to grow.

Read more: How cancer cells makes healthy cells work for them
Bathing ban for non-residents in Pruntrut JU is extended

More

Swiss pool to extend ban for non-residents

This content was published on The ban on non-residents entering the swimming pool in Porrentruy, canton Jura, expires on Sunday and would be extended until the end of the season, the mayor said.

Read more: Swiss pool to extend ban for non-residents

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

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.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR