Politicians want to hold the chaos accountable

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Another working day with a lot of Büez for the emergency services. On Monday, riots broke out in demonstrations in several cities. Chaos throwing fireworks and various objects in the direction of the police. Emergency services fought with water cannons, tear gas and rubber shots.

In Zurich, hundreds of people, some of them masked, tried to start an unauthorized Nacho on the sidelines of the allowed events. The police immediately blocked all streets with a large contingent and surrounded some demonstrators.

Police officers and left-wing extremists also conducted a confrontation course in Basel. The approved demonstration was attended by masked people in the front area. They set fire to fireworks and were equipped with “protective equipment,” police claim. The emergency services stopped the train and surrounded the front part. Anyone submitting to an identity check was allowed to leave the demarcated area. Those who refused had to stay. After hours, the regular train was allowed to march on.

SVP wants to call “chaotic” to account

Violent protesters have long been a thorn in the side of politicians. For example, the SVP recently launched a double initiative in Basel – against the ‘chaotic’ and the ‘demo flood’ in the city. Your demand: “Demo-chaotic” must pay the cost of the missions and damage on the one hand. On the other hand, public space and public transport should be given more attention when granting permits for demonstrations.

In Zurich, those responsible for extraordinary police operations will also have to bear the costs in the future. That’s what the government wants. The Young SVP is demanding even more with their anti-chaotic initiative: they also want to sue the organizers for damage to property.

The first experiences are sobering

In Bern it is already possible to pass on the costs, as requested by the SVP youth. But the first experiences paint a sobering picture: six demonstrators who protested against corona measures without permission in the fall of 2021 were sentenced by precedent at the beginning of this year to share in the costs of law enforcement authorities.

The amounts are between 200 and 1000 francs. So only a few thousand francs flowed back – and this with police costs of several hundred thousand francs. Even procedural costs are likely to exceed revenue, as reported by the SonntagsBlick. It’s all about deterrence.

«Good organization and infrastructure»

Basel Security Director Stephanie Eymann (43, FDP) shares the thrust of the initiatives. “We want fewer unauthorized demos and more order,” she recently told Blick. She wants to focus more on dialogue. It is also clear to the Basel security director that all parties from left to right must clearly distance themselves from violent demonstrators – and that in advance.

A demand that Adrian Wüthrich (42), chairman of the Bern-Canton Police Association (PVBK), recently considered. “We are concerned about the violence against police officers.” Many chaotic people who “go to war against the state” are unaware that there are people behind the armed forces, Wüthrich said.

Wüthrich believes there is still more to come and therefore wants the right political support. Because during regular large-scale operations, the police reach its capacity limits. Wüthrich was convinced that a lot could be achieved with good organization and infrastructure. For example with corridors. Similar to the fence at the Wankdorf stadium in Bern. This has already relieved a lot of staff.

However, Wüthrich explicitly spoke out against bans on demonstrations, as they apply in other countries.

Source:Blick