Rain stops play at mass drinking session
Rain cut short a mass open-air drinking session that was organised in Geneva.
Around 300 people turned up for the so-called botellón – a practice that originated in Spain and is spreading through Switzerland – on Friday in the Parc des Bastions.
Geneva police said a German photographer was injured by a bottle in the only notable incident of the night. Officers carried out several checks during the event, which had been due to continue all night but ended at 3am.
Geneva is the only Swiss city to have authorised the botellóns under certain conditions.
“The authorities chose to control and carry out dialogue rather than ban [these gatherings],” Geneva magistrate Manuel Tornare said on Saturday. He said the event had gone relatively smoothly as there had been alcohol and drug prevention organisations present throughout.
The organisers did most of the clean-up and collected rubbish – a precondition laid down by the city authorities.
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