Thousands join pro-Palestinian protest in Bern amid clashes with police

5,000 people hold a tense demonstration in Berne in support of Palestine Keystone-SDA

Several thousand people took to the streets of Bern on Saturday to protest against the war in Gaza. The demonstration saw tensions flare as firecrackers and other pyrotechnics were set off, with some reportedly thrown at police officers. Authorities responded with force.

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Police in Bern, backed by officers from several other cantons, surrounded demonstrators near the Federal Palace on Saturday. They later stepped in to stop an attempted occupation of the city’s main railway station. Some protesters had announced plans to block the tracks, police said in a post on X.

Police used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets several times to disperse the most aggressive protesters, including hooded individuals leading the march. Officers were targeted with various projectiles, and significant damage was reported, according to both a Keystone-SDA journalist and police statements. The rally had not been authorised.

Around 5,000 demonstrators gathered near Bern’s main railway station on Saturday before marching to the Federal Palace. In the wake of the Gaza ceasefire, protesters chanted slogans including “Free, free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea”. Pyrotechnics and firecrackers were set off, with some thrown towards the large police presence.

Fire breaks out as police surround protesters in Bern

A fire broke out near the Federal Palace as police moved to encircle a group of demonstrators, prompting firefighters to intervene. Several hundred people were taken to police headquarters for identity checks.

Police said they had tried to reach out to the organisers ahead of the rally but were unsuccessful. They also urged people not to attend the unauthorised protest.

The Federal Palace was barricaded and access to several nearby streets was blocked. As skirmishes continued throughout the day, organisers posted on Telegram that the protest would only end when they decided to call it off.

By early evening, hundreds of protesters were still gathered outside Bern’s main railway station, despite repeated efforts by police to disperse them. Dozens of riot officers were deployed to guard the station entrance and prevent access to the tracks. Traffic across the city was heavily disrupted.

Various pro-Palestinian groups and left-wing movements, including the Swiss Climate Strike and the Young Communists, helped spread the call to protest via social media. Amnesty International teams were on site to monitor the situation.

An unauthorised protest in Bern back in May also descended into unrest. In recent weeks, large demonstrations in support of Palestine and against the war in Gaza have taken place across French-speaking Switzerland, particularly in Geneva and Lausanne.

Translated from French with DeepL/sp

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