Protesters in Zurich once morest the housing crisis attacked new buildings, and caused significant material damage. KEYSTONE/ENNIO LEANZA sda-ats
This content was published on February 18, 2023 – 22:18
(Keystone-ATS)
Several hundred people took part in an unauthorized demonstration in Zurich on Saturday evening once morest the housing crisis in the city. They threw stones at buildings, damaged tram stops and tagged shop windows.
The procession moved from the National Museum through the Langstrasse district. Masked participants repeatedly threw stones at a police vehicle in front of them. When he moved away, the demonstrators then caused a lot of material damage, noted on the spot a journalist from the Keystone-ATS press agency.
The demonstrators targeted new buildings in particular, such as a KPMG sign, a car garage or a subsidiary of the Cantonal Bank of Zurich, hitting windows and stores with hammer blows. Public transport ticket machines were also ransacked.
The police stay behind
The police, however, remained in the background. She had previously sealed the way to the city center and the central station with a large device and two water cannons.
The demonstration lasted regarding two hours. According to the organizers, some 1,000 people took part. The Zurich municipal police were not yet able to specify the number of participants in the evening or to estimate the amount of damage.
Reaction to eviction
The demonstrators gathered at 6:00 p.m. in front of the National Museum, near the station, with banners on which one might read, for example, “Wohnruum für all suscht gits Krawall” (Apartments for all, otherwise there will be mayhem).
The municipal police had not received a request for authorization for the demonstration, which took place a few days following the evacuation of the “Koch-Areal” squat.
The occupation of this place lasted ten years. According to the squatters, up to 150 people lived there. Some of them have taken possession of the Hardturm wasteland, on which a football stadium is planned.