Thousands march in Bern calling for Gaza ceasefire
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Thousands march in Bern calling for Gaza ceasefire
Thousands took to the streets of Bern on Saturday, calling on the Swiss government to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
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More than 10,000 people – or up to 20,000, according to organisers – marched through central Bern on Saturday afternoon in support for Gaza.
The authorised demonstration remained peaceful overall, though a small group caused occasional disturbances, according to a journalist from the Keystone-SDA news agency. An estimated 10,000 people took part, with demonstrators travelling from across the country. There was a particularly strong turnout from French-speaking regions.
Around 30 organisations, including the Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS), Amnesty International, the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and Campax, backed the protest. Their main demand was for the Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive body, to support an immediate, lasting and independently monitored ceasefire in Gaza.
Cassis derided, Wermuth booed
“Inaction is unacceptable and must end now,” organisers said in their call to protest. The crowd’s chants and banners took direct aim at Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, with slogans such as “Ignazio Cassis, accomplice to genocide” and “Cassis, war criminal”.
Many speakers voiced frustration with the government during the rally at the Bundesplatz. “I’m fed up with the government hiding behind neutrality,” said Cédric Wermuth, co-president of the Social Democratic Party.
A small group responded to his speech with boos, which he tried to defuse by expressing understanding. “Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is a government of war criminals,” he said. “And it should be treated as such.”
Ruth Dreifuss condemns
Organisers repeatedly called for mutual respect, particularly when it came to banners. Even former Federal President Ruth Dreifuss, who addressed the crowd on the Bundesplatz, was interrupted by hecklers. “That won’t get you anywhere,” Dreifuss replied.
Speaking later on RTS’s Forum programme, Dreifuss said: “We can’t take any more of this war, these massacres, these lives being sacrificed.” She criticised the Federal Council for not doing enough and called on it to condemn war crimes and crimes against humanity “on both sides – but at the moment, more so by Israel.”
Unlike the unauthorised protest at the end of May, Saturday’s approved demonstration passed without major incidents. Police maintained a visible presence and carried out identity checks. On social media platform X, they reported minor damage, including graffiti along the march route.
Traffic was heavily disrupted across Bern on Saturday afternoon, with police maintaining a strong and visible presence throughout. The heightened security followed an unauthorised protest at the end of May that spiralled out of control. During that event, police deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and a water cannon to disperse demonstrators.
Translated from French with DeepL/sp
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