Authorities in the north-eastern Swiss town of Rapperswil have turned down an application for a Covid-19 demonstration next month – the second refusal for a march following a large gathering at Liestal in canton Basel Country ten days ago.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Português
pt
Cantões suíços proíbem passeatas contra medidas sanitárias
Members of the “Stiller Protest” (Silent Protest) group had hoped to hold a protest in the St Gallen town on April 24, as the latest in a line of protests which have been growing in size.
However, local authorities on Tuesday rejected the idea, saying that not only were current Covid case numbers going up in the country, but that experience of recent demonstrations showed that sanitary rules (social distancing and mask-wearing) are not respected by participants.
On March 20, some 8,000 people showed up in Liestal in canton Basel Country for a protest march organised by the same group; there, coronavirus measures were barely respected, the Rapperswil authorities said in their rejection note on Tuesday.
More
More
Thousands demonstrate against Covid-19 restrictions
This content was published on
Thousands of people have protested in the north-western Swiss town of Liestal against restrictions introduced to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Rapperswil authorities also said that the projected 1,000 participants cited as an estimate by the applicants was “clearly too low”.
Since the first event organised by “Stiller Protest” last October, where 50 people showed up in Zurich, their geographic reach and numbers have been growing almost exponentially. A fortnight ago, 4,000 people marched in Chur in Canton Graubünden.
The current decision also comes after a rejection, last week, by authorities in the central canton of Uri of an anti-Covid demonstration which was to be held on farmland on April 10. There, some 10,000 people were projected to turn up.
Current Covid situation
Under current Covid-19 rules in Switzerland, outdoor gatherings of up to 15 people are permitted in public. Larger political demonstrations are allowed, provided they receive the go-ahead from local authorities. Private gatherings are limited to 10 people.
Patrick Mathys, head of crisis management at the Federal Office of Public Health, told a press conference on Tuesday that the virus situation in Switzerland was “uncertain”.
“Unfortunately, the number of cases in Switzerland continues to rise; hospitalisations and deaths are currently relatively stable,” he said.
The number of new infections has risen slowly since the end of February. On Tuesday, the number of confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Switzerland was reported to be 1,923. The seven-day average (1,782) was up by 19% on the same day last week. The reproduction rate stands at 1.19.
Just over half a million Swiss residents are fully vaccinated, around 6.2% of the population.
More
More
Covid-19 sceptics are getting more radical
This content was published on
The Swiss authorities are seeing increasingly aggressive responses to measures curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
This content was published on
Hollywood star Pamela Anderson will be honoured at the Zurich Film Festival for her career and role in the film The Last Showgirl.
Switzerland to host Ukraine mine action conference in October
This content was published on
Together with Ukraine, Switzerland is organising the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024) in Lausanne on October 17 and 18.
Switzerland revises pension expenditure downwards by billions
This content was published on
The Swiss government has corrected downwards the projected expenditure on old-age and survivor insurance in 2033 by CHF2.5 billion ($2.66 billion).
Excess mortality rate post-Covid could persist until 2033
This content was published on
According to a report by reinsurer Swiss Re, many countries are still experiencing excess mortality following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Swiss Army ends clean-up operation in storm-hit Maggia Valley
This content was published on
The Swiss Armed Forces completed 76 flight hours during the clean-up operation following the storm in the Maggia Valley in Ticino at the end of June.
Swiss cruise ship stranded on Danube River after heavy rains
This content was published on
Passengers on a Swiss river-cruise ship stranded on the Danube following heavy rainfall are still unable to disembark in Vienna due to flooding.
Golden eagles get better at flying over time, say Swiss researchers
This content was published on
Golden eagles perfect their flight as they age and learn to make better use of air currents, says a new study co-produced by Swiss researchers.
This content was published on
Public libraries in Switzerland recorded 46.3 million admissions last year, 7.4 million more than in 2022, says the Federal Statistical Office.
Swiss conservative party seeks referendum against Eurovision contest
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Democratic Union is launching a referendum to prevent the Eurovision Song Contest from taking place in Basel next year.
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
Anti-government protests continue over Covid policy
This content was published on
Several thousand people have taken to streets in south-eastern Switzerland to protest against the government’s policy to contain the Covid pandemic.
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.