Anti-government protester march ahead of vote on Covid policy
Protestors often wear white and brandish the Swiss flag at demonstrations against the government's Covid police (Archive picture from a protest in Lugano in May)
Keystone/Pablo Gianinazzi
Several hundred people have taken to the streets of Lucerne to protest against the Swiss government’s anti-Covid measures.
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Local police said about 400 people took part in a march co-organised by the Silent Protest movement through the central Swiss city on Saturday, despite calls by the authorities to stay away.
Many participants did not wear hygiene masks in violation of government rules, according to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Security forces turned out in force to prevent clashes between the Covid demonstrators and a left-wing group which had also called for a street protest.
Police said they detained two people and imposed restraining orders for more than 30 other participants.
A similar demonstration is also announced in the town of Zug on Sunday according to local media.
It is the latest in a series of demonstrations, mainly in the German-speaking part of the country, against the government’s pandemic policy. It comes on the eve of a nationwide vote on a the so called Covid-19 law.
It sets the legal conditions for government aid to companies and individuals affected by lockdowns, including temporary closures and limited access as well as travel restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.
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