What started as a rally for the climate ended in pepper spray, rubber bullets, firecrackers and thrown stones.
An image of the protest released by the cantonal police (Credit: Kantonspolizei).
An illegal climate rally in Basel this weekend ended in a violent clash between the protestors and local police.
Around three in the afternoon on Saturday, about 400 people – many wearing face masks and carrying banners – began marching from Basel’s central train station to the city’s financial district, Bankenplatz where the protest escalated. There, they doused a tower of boxes in liquid and set it on fire. The protestors said they were condemning the supposed “climate-friendly” practices of large corporations in the area. The protestors burned a banner reading Glencore, referring to the controversial commodities company that has been accused of bribing African officials to pump for crude oil, among other allegations.
At this point in the protest local police cordoned off streets nearby, but the protestors crossed police barriers to continue their march to Steinenberg, and then onto Barfüsserplatz, where police intervened.
In a media release to the public, the cantonal police said they “unsuccessfully sought dialogue with the demonstrators” and that “multiple requests for talks were ignored.” According to local reporters on-site, police did not converse with the protestors.
The demonstrators then threw firecrackers, stones and other objects at the police. Police began shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. After a heated exchange, most protestors were dispersed at this point. About 150 re-grouped on Wettsteinplatz to deliver short speeches.
When the police arrived on the scene, “stones and firecrackers were again thrown at the police forces,” according to the police. Around 5:30 in the evening, all of the demonstrators were dispersed. A video shared by local media outlet Blickdemonstrates the chaos felt in Basel.
According to Basel police, the demonstrators had come prepared for a violent conflict.
“Unlike at other rallies, the majority of the demonstrators were ready to use violence and were equipped with protective and masking material. The police forces were targeted and escalation was actively sought,” the cantonal police said in their statement. Three police officers were injured by the firecrackers and demonstrators damaged property along the parade route with graffiti and paint bags.
Protests in Switzerland first require demonstrators to file paperwork with the government. This “revolutionary climate rally” was not filed with or approved by local authorities, police say.
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