Swiss court rips up squatting bill for eco-protestors

Zurich court cancels transfer of costs to squatters Keystone-SDA

The Zurich Administrative Court says protestors who squatted in a woodland will not have to pay police costs for removing them.

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The court said their was not a sufficient legal basis to pass on costs, the Wald statt Schutt collective announced on Wednesday.

The judgement, which is been seen by the Keystone-SDA news agency, states that the relevant provision is kept very open. “There is a lack of a sufficient basis for the assessment of the fee,” the judges wrote.

“This case is a precedent that once again demonstrates that every effort is being made to criminalise protest for the preservation of our livelihoods and affordable housing,” said a spokesperson for the collective.

Three activists who resisted the eviction for hours in the treetops were to receive a bill of CHF5,000 each. The remaining CHF9,000 francs were to be divided among 11 other activists.

The operation to arrest the people stuck in the trees was particularly costly: according to the cantonal police, it cost CHF108,800. Only a fraction of this amount was claimed. The judgement is not yet legally binding and can be appealed to the Federal Supreme Court.

Rubble landfill protest

New legal measures will come into force on January 1, 2026 to allow costs to be passed on in the event of “intentional behaviour”. An appeal against this is still pending before the Federal Supreme Court.

The two-week-long forest occupation in spring 2023 was a demonstration by activists against the expansion of a building rubble landfill site. Eleven Swiss nationals were charged during the eviction. The three who held out in the trees were arrested.

The landfill site is also occupying the courts in a second case. The Building Appeal Court recently cancelled the design plan for the expansion of the landfill site. The judgement stated that there was no legally sufficient structure plan entry.

Adapted from German by DeepL/mga

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