Youth of Switzerland Takes to the Streets

Featured image: Burning barricades in the protests on October 31 in Switzerland. Source: Swissinfo

On October 31, the youth of Switzerland took to the street in Basel and Zurich, inspired by and in solidarity with the wave of protests sweeping Europe, organizing under the slogan “We’ve had enough – also in Switzerland!” with calls denouncing military rearmament, social inequality, and education policy.

In Zurich, hundreds of protesters gathered in Langstrasse around 10:30 p.m. and marched toward Helvetiaplatz. Clashes with the police ensued, and the protesters resisted by building burning barricades, throwing stones, fireworks and lit flares. Police attacked the demonstrators with water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes that lasted until around 1:30 a.m.

In Basel, around 150 protesters gathered around 9 p.m. in the city centre, where speeches were held and slogans shouted, after which the demonstration marched onward across Mittlere Rheinbrücke toward the Marktplatz. Here too, clashes with the police broke out, and burning barricades were erected by the protesters, resisting the police attacks.