Thousands of protesters demonstrate in Switzerland to condemn Gaza war

BERN, Oct. 12 (YPA) – Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in several Swiss cities to condemn Israel’s three-year-long war of extermination in Gaza, demanding sanctions against the occupation and support for the Palestinians.

Lausanne witnessed limited clashes and acts of vandalism targeting a bank, prompting police to use tear gas.

In Lausanne, around 2,000 people gathered in Place de la Ripon on Saturday afternoon, then marched towards the train station and on to Place Montpennon, denouncing Israeli policies and the Swiss government’s stance.

The Swiss News Agency reported that masked individuals smashed the windows of a UBS bank in Place Saint-François, sprayed its facade with red paint and protest graffiti, and threw firecrackers at security personnel. Police responded1 with tear gas to disperse about 60 masked individuals and confirmed that the situation was under control.

The protests were organized by pro-Palestinian groups including Lausanne-Palestine, the Palestine Association, the Women’s Strike at the University of Lausanne and the École Polytechnique, and the Anti-Fascist Movement. Participants held banners condemning Switzerland’s complicity in murder, starvation, and colonialism, including one that read “Blood-Stained Neutrality.”

In Zurich, about a thousand people participated in a peaceful demonstration that included a moment of silence and kneeling on Bahnhofstrasse, amid a heavy police presence, and Left-wing activist Andrea Stauffacher also participated.