Bern’s mayor reacts with incomprehension to riots
Published: Monday, May 6th 2024, 12:30
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The Mayor of Bern, Alec von Graffenried, has described the recent riots on the Schützenmatte as "terrible and incomprehensible". There had not been a comparable incident for four to five years.
The city will now analyze the events of Saturday night and try to understand "what it was all about", said the Green politician on Monday on Radio SRF's Regionaljournal Bern. The city has not yet spoken to the operators of the nearby Reitschule. However, there will certainly be a discussion in the near future.
The city's SVP demanded the closure of the meeting center. The Reitschule served as a "logistical base and command post for attacks by the violent extremist left on the police and passers-by". If the city remained inactive, the cantonal authorities would have to take action.
According to the police, eleven police officers were injured during the riots on Sunday night. Patrols were deployed after people tried to set fire to containers on the street at Schützenmatte. On the scene, the police officers were attacked with stones, bottles, fireworks and lasers. The police used rubber buckshot, water cannon and irritants.
The rioters had tried to seriously injure people, said Manuel Willi, head of the Bern regional police, on TV station Telebärn. Ordinary police patrols without special protective clothing were deployed. The police officers were also not wearing helmets.
"Every stone that comes flying means an extremely high risk of injury in such cases." The perpetrators had an extremely high potential for violence.
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