Anti-racism marches mobilise thousands across Switzerland
This content was published on
1 minute
Ex-press
Black Lives Matter protests mobilised thousands of people across several Swiss cities on Saturday. In Bern, the capital, an unauthorised rally drew some 4,000 people, most of them wearing masks and black attire.
Another 10,000 marched In financial hub Zurich. Demonstrators there also donned black clothes and carried banners that read “white silence is violence.” Police initially tried to dissuade them from marching on account of public health restrictions in place to counter the coronavirus pandemic. The march could finally go through on condition that it stayed peaceful, which it did, according to a Keystone-SDA reporter at the scene.
Anti-racism gathering in Zurich on June 13, 2020.
Keystone / Ennio Leanza
In the northeastern city of St. Gallen, more than a thousand people came together under the banner “Black Lives Matter”. Police there said the demonstration unfolded without incident. A similar gathering took place in Lucerne.
Switzerland has capped public gatherings at a maximum of 300 people due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the second weekend in a row that Swiss streets fill with people outraged by the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of police in the United States on May 26.
More than 10,000 people took part in an anti-racism rally held in Geneva on Tuesday, which was organised to coincide with Floyd’s funeral. The fatal incident in the United States has triggered soul-searching on questions of racism and police conduct at home and abroad.
Popular Stories
More
Banking & Fintech
UBS releases ‘hundreds’ of staff in fresh wave of job cuts
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Switzerland targets 65% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035
This content was published on
Switzerland has set an ambitious goal to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels.
Switzerland cuts foreign aid to Albania, Bangladesh and Zambia
This content was published on
This decision comes after the parliament allocated less funding for foreign aid in December than the government had requested.
Switzerland to end international adoptions by 2026
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will no longer be able to adopt children from abroad. The government plans to halt these adoptions to prevent potential abuses.
Home ownership costs in Switzerland up by 2% in 2024
This content was published on
Home ownership in Switzerland became slightly more expensive in 2024. Central Switzerland has the priciest single-family homes at CHF1.78 million.
This content was published on
Six months into his tenure, Vice Chancellor Andrea Arcidiacono said he will leave the Federal Chancellery at the end of March.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Is racism a problem in Switzerland? A look at the latest numbers
This content was published on
When it comes to racial discrimination, the situation in Switzerland is hardly comparable to that of the United States. But some issues persist.
Switzerland joins debate about removing controversial memorials
This content was published on
Global anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd have reignited the debate about contentious monuments in the US and Europe.
This content was published on
“Italians go back to Italy” was the slogan used in an initiative 50 years ago. Why does the fear of non-Swiss keep coming back?
This content was published on
As Unesco marks the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, history professor Hans Fässler told swissinfo it was time Switzerland faced up to its past. Being a landlocked country did not stop Switzerland from playing its part in the transatlantic slave trade triangle, linking West Africa, America and Europe…
Swiss torture rapporteur denounces US ‘racial terror’
This content was published on
The UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, has called for independent investigations into excessive force used by police against Afro-Americans.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.