Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Ten hooligans behind bars in Zurich

pyrotechnics at a football match
Not just a Zurich problem: Pictured here are Sion football club fans setting off flares at a match in Basel last year © KEYSTONE / GEORGIOS KEFALAS

Following an attack on German football fans in Zurich, ten hooligans suspected of violence are now in pre-trial detention.

​​​​​​​

The ten men, aged 21-34, were arrested on Wednesday. Zurich city police and the public prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that the men would be held in custody until they are tried before a court.

The men are accused of attacking German football fans on Langstrasse on October 25, 2018.

+ Read about the first hooligan sent to a Swiss jail

The incident occurred after the Europa League match between FC Zurich (FCZ) and Bayer Leverkusen. Men attacked several German fans, three of whom needed medical attention.

Most of the attackers had FCZ fan articles on their person. The police investigation, supported by German police, finally led to the arrests of the men last week.

Travel ban

In recent months, violence among football fans has increased in Zurich, triggered by a smaller group of violent fans. The police assume that around 200 people belong to this group.

Hooliganism has been a problem throughout Switzerland in recent years. In 2016, Switzerland banned nearly 800 known hooligans from travelling to the Euro 2016 football tournament in France.

A database launched on a trial basis has been tracking the violent activity at matches in Switzerland.

More
Supporters of Grasshoppers Zurich light smoke flares.

More

Swiss football games marred by hooligans

This content was published on Every third football game in Switzerland over the past six months has been marked by violent incidents according to a new database.

Read more: Swiss football games marred by hooligans


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Passengers of Swiss Federal Railways

More

Swiss are champions of rail travel in Europe

This content was published on Switzerland remains by a large margin the European champion of train travel, both in terms of the number of journeys per person and the number of kilometres travelled. Switzerland remains by a large margin the European champion of train travel, both in terms of the number of journeys per person and the number of kilometres travelled. Switzerland remains by a large margin the European champion of train travel, both in terms of the number of journeys per person and the number of kilometres travelled.

Read more: Swiss are champions of rail travel in Europe

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

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.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR