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It is a legal dispute of a more bizarre nature that the “St. Galler Tagblatt” reported on Friday: Two couples who live directly above each other in a terraced apartment building are involved in a violent and protracted neighborhood dispute. This has now escalated so much that the courts must consider the dispute. The first lawsuit has now been heard by the Wil District Court in Flawil SG, and two further hearings are already scheduled.
But how did the hostility in the apartment complex actually come about? It all started with a complaint to the St. Gallen animal shelter. The couple, who are acting as private plaintiffs in the proceedings, say they “absolutely” love their dog. The wife of the opposing couple believed that the plaintiffs did not exercise their hunting dog sufficiently. She and her husband determined this based on the claimant’s garden, which was littered with dog feces. So they called animal control.
Dog is a “home poop”
According to the plaintiff’s lawyer, the situation is completely different: the defendant wanted to use the complaint to have the couple’s “best friend” taken away. According to the private prosecutor, her dog is a “home poop.” ‘Doing big business’ is not that easy. “You can go for a two-hour run with her – she always does her business at home in the garden.”
But Thursday was also about other little things. The complainant’s lawyer followed. “The defendants are tormenting the private prosecutors to the point of death. The charges range from property damage, insults, threats, trespasses, theft to assault and bodily harm.” This is something you only know from Hollywood. The entire residential complex is equipped with numerous cameras. “Every resident films from his front door and keeps an eye on his neighbors.”
Prosecutors accused the defendant of, among other things, destroying two ornamental elephants and ‘sticking posters on windows’. He also allegedly continuously rang the doorbell at the door of the private plaintiff’s apartment, left leaves directly in front of the door and contaminated the private plaintiff’s shutter and terracotta tiles with an unknown liquid. The private plaintiffs demanded 19,600 francs in damages and 2,000 francs compensation for the neighbor’s hooliganism.
Judge calls for ‘ceasefire’
The judge was shocked by the neighborhood dispute. “I think it’s unbelievable what happens in your house. I wouldn’t want to live there. What is happening to you is terror,” she said at the end of the hearing. “I can only advise you to stop immediately. Maybe you all should get professional help,” she added. “Because how else are you going to continue living like this? That is not quality of life.”
Her advice: “You don’t have to become friends, but a permanent ceasefire would be something too.” She had previously dismissed most of the alleged violations – due to lack of evidence. The suspect was acquitted of charges of false accusations and multiple threats.
The suspect was in turn acquitted of the charges of damage to property, malicious intimidation, multiple theft of property and trespassing. However, he must pay the plaintiff’s couple 660 francs each for the leftover leaves, the throwing of shards at the door of the private plaintiff’s apartment and the theft of a pair of running shoes. He must pay a quarter (587 francs) of the legal costs of 2,350 francs, and the state will pay the rest.
Neighborhood disputes are not uncommon in Switzerland; Blick has documented countless of them. This includes four-legged friends, plants or garden gnomes. It is not unusual for arguments to break down or worse. For example, in early November a man from Vaud attacked his neighbor with a snow blower.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
