Swiss fears of violence and anti-Semitism at Palestine protest rallies

Several pro-Palestine rallies have been staged in Switzerland in recent weeks. Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

The Bernese security director Philippe Müller (FDP) has called for Palestine rallies to be avoided. The likelihood of violence at a next rally is high, he said in an interview with the “Berner Zeitung”.

Müller came to this conclusion after assessing the situation together with the police and the police intelligence service, as he said in an interview on Wednesday. However, the approval authority is the city of Bern and not the canton. He made the appeal as cantonal security director, said Müller.

According to him, the next event could see more violence and more flags with prohibited content. Nobody can guarantee that extremists from Germany won’t come to Switzerland to inflame the mood, he said, looking across the border.

Müller does not see a conflict with freedom of expression. “Freedom of expression can also be abused by people chanting extreme slogans at a demonstration for peace,” he said.

Anti-Semitism is “simply not acceptable” in Switzerland, said Müller. It is particularly tragic that these days are the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. “And I have the impression that post-war Europe has never been as close to the conditions back then as today,” said Müller. It is also unacceptable for events to be canceled or not announced due to possible violence.

Thousands of people expressed their solidarity with the Palestinians on the Bundesplatz in Bern last Saturday. The atmosphere at the rally was loud and sometimes heated, but not violent. The police were present, but stayed in the background with a large presence.

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