Covid protesters rally in Zurich and Lausanne

Several thousand people took part in a rally in Zurich on November 20, 2021 against the government's Covid-19 measures. Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Several thousand people took part in rallies in Zurich and Lausanne on Saturday to protest against government measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. They took place one week ahead of a nationwide vote on November 28 on the use of the Swiss Covid certificate.

In Zurich, around 2,000 people from different Swiss regions took part in a protest organised by the Mass-Voll movement, accompanied by groups such as the Freie Linke and Aktionsbündnis Urkantone.

Meanwhile, in the Vaud capital, Lausanne, 1,000-1,500 people took part in a demonstration and march through the city, accompanied by the traditional Freiheitstrychler bell ringers, who who have become a fixture at many Covid-19 rallies.

Protests by groups opposed to the Covid certificate as well the government’s Covid policy in general, have been frequent, especially in the Swiss capital, Bern, where they have on occasion turned violent. Saturday’s demonstrations were without incident, the police said.

Support for the proposed amendments to the Covid law, which go to a nationwide vote on November 28, stands at 61%, according to the latest poll published last week.

The coronavirus situation in Switzerland has worsened since the onset of winter, with nearly 6,200 new cases, 15 deaths and 64 people hospitalised on November 19, according to the Federal Office of Public Health. About 65% of the population are now fully vaccinated.