Since there was a general ban on demonstrations in the city of Basel, and the previously-authorized FdV‘s ‘Peace, Freedom and Sovereignty‘ demonstration had been redirected to just across the Swiss-German border in Weil-am-Rhein, there was no reason anymore for Basel Nazi-Frei to counter-demonstrate in Basel – at least that’s what one might have thought.
Turns out, the Basel city police were in for a long day.
Saturday the 21st of October
11:07
@RaimondLueppken posts videos on X (formally Twitter) showing the police, including a water cannon from Zurich city police, positioning themselves around St. Johannpark – the location where the demonstrations were originally to take place.
Source: x.com
11:42
20min.ch report that the ‘planned “Trinational Rally” on Saturday is now being diverted to Germany.’
Just to be clear, the act of ‘diverting’ the FdV’s demonstration to Germany was something undertaken by FdV and their associates almost as soon as the general ban on demonstrating was issued several days prior. By using the word ‘now’, 20min.ch almost makes it sound as if the FdV demonstration was being hustled right then and there across the border. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that the FdV demonstration ever made an appearance in Basel city that entire day.
I asked FdV if any of their demonstrators were in the areas of the Horburgpark and St. Johann-Park that day, and this was their reply:
‘From the official side, and from the board of the Friends of the Constitution, nobody was in Basel at the mentioned places; we respected the demo ban (even if reluctantly); the official part of our “Trinational Demo” then took place exclusively in Weil am Rhein (D).’
20min.ch continues by stating that it is ‘An event with escalation potential’. Absolutely – there is a known-to-be violent group of people who call themselves Basel Nazi-Frei who are threatening confrontation with the FdV demonstration. Unfortunately, 20min.ch seems ignorant of this fact, because the only ‘escalation potential’ they tell us about is the ‘anti-Semitic conspiracy theories’ and ‘right-wing extremist circles’ apparently attributable to ‘prominent actors of the scene such as Mass-Voll or the Freiheitstrychler’.
12:06
20min.ch report:
‘New meeting place’
‘The rally was originally supposed to take place in St. Johanns Park. The police are checking people. According to our reporter, the demonstrators are now moving to a new location: Voltaplatz.’
It’s difficult to know exactly which ‘rally’ 20min.ch are talking about. The FdV demonstration was originally planned, and authorized to take place at St. Johanns Park. However, latest by the 17th of October, it was already public knowledge that the new location for the FdV demonstration was the Horburgpark – a change implemented in order to avoid confrontation with Basel Nazi-Frei.
I assume 20min.ch are referring to the Basel Nazi-Frei ‘rally’.
12:10
20min.ch quote Mr. Stefan Schmitt, the media spokesperson for the Basel city police as saying, ‘”We are on site with a contingent. We are constantly monitoring the situation and appealing to the current ban on demonstrations.” Checks on people are currently being carried out, he said. Police are present throughout the city, he said. “We are supported by other police forces.”’
12:17
@RaimondLueppken reports:
Source: x.com
12:24
20min.ch reports that ‘The demonstrators are spread out all over the city. The police are on their way to the Dreirosenbrücke with flashing blue lights’ and there are reports from demonstrators that police have fired rubber bullets.
While the police are dealing with Basel Nazi-Frei, there is something else going on in the city of Basel.
As far as we know, Mr. Nicolas Rimoldi, president of MASS-VOLL!, has been trying to make his way to the border with Germany to join in the approved demonstration in Weil-am-Rhein. The tram he and his companions are traveling on is halted due to the chaos caused by Basel Nazi-Frei, and all passengers are requested to exit it.
Mr. Rimoldi continues on foot. They are spotted by a 20min reporter on the Johanniterbrücke who takes a photo.
20min.ch publishes said photo at 13:23 with the title in bold ‘Rimoldi appears on Johanniterbrücke bridge’. 20Min.ch continues:
‘As our reporter reports on the scene, Mass-Voll boss, Nicolas Rimoldi, has turned up in Basel. He is standing on the Johanniterbrücke and watching the Dreirosenbrücke.’
Source: Screenshot of 20min.ch
This deserves a moment of thought.
20min.ch is very well aware that the far-Left, AntiFa, Basel Nazi-Frei, etc … scene vehemently dislikes, if not out-rightly hates, Mr. Rimoldi.
20min.ch also knew at that time that there were roving mobs of AntiFa/Basel Nazi-Frei throughout that area of Basel city.
20min.ch publicly announcing Mr. Rimoldi’s exact location was either an action taken with extreme carelessness and naivety, or it was intentionally done to inform those looking to do him harm of his whereabouts.
~14:00
Mr. Rimoldi is seen being escorted by two police officers with his hands bound behind his back, and being put into the back of a police vehicle.
‘Around 1:00 p.m., another group of participants of the originally approved rally in the area of the Johanniter Bridge was subjected to a check. The situation became dynamic when the emergency services were additionally pressured by counter-demonstrators. After the arrival of additional emergency services, the situation on site could be calmed down. The first controlled group was detained by the police.’ (https://www.polizei.bs.ch/nm/2023-demonstrationen-wurden-mehrheitlich-verhindert-jsd.html)
14:36
20min.ch reports that ‘In Weil am Rhein, meanwhile, a smaller protest has also formed against the rally of Mass-Voll, Freiheitstrychler and right-wing speakers.’. No mention whatsoever of the actual organizers of the demonstration – the Friends of the Constitution (FdV).
15:30
20min.ch reports:
‘Meanwhile, in Weil am Rhein, the rally is in full swing. About 300 people have gathered in the Rhine Park. An AFD politician has already spoken. Russia-friendly slogans are present. For example, the demand to make peace with the country that has unilaterally launched a war of aggression against Ukraine.
The reporter on the spot reported racist speeches. This was accompanied by loud booing from a group of left-wing activists who were protesting loudly at the edge of the site, shielded by the police.
Tonja Zürcher (BastA!), a member of the Basel City Council, is also on site to observe the situation. The rally was mobilized from Switzerland, so it concerns us. She finds the march of conspiracy theorists and anti-Semites frightening. “The police must intervene when hate propaganda is made,” she demands.’
Obviously this reporting is absolutely rank with ideological bias in favor of the counter-protesters and the political Left. It reads as one giant dog-whistle. AfD, Russia-friendly, racist, conspiracy theory, anti-Semite, hate, propaganda … all countered by the ‘loud booing’ of the ‘left-wing activists’ and a Basel Left-wing politician.
No mention is made of the fact that were it not for the police holding back the counter-protesters, they would have stormed the “hateful” rally, and most likely committed numerous acts of violence in order to silence those “racist”, “anti-Semite”, demonstrators from calling for peace to be made with Russia.
Sunday 22.10.2023 9:46
According to the press release from the Cantonal Police for Basel City, ‘Around 280 people were checked and 47 of them detained.’.
As part of their attempt to sum up the events of the previous day, 20min.ch announces that ‘47 arrests and 280 personal checks’ were made, and in bold write halfway through the first paragraph ‘Among this group of people is also Mass-Voll leader Nicolas Rimoldi.’.
No mention of the fact that the vast majority of those arrested and checked by the police were from the violent Leftist extremists. And you can bet your bottom drawer that had most arrests been made of people from the FdV demonstrators, 20min.ch would be making a meal of it.
‘Arrests were also made in Weil am Rhein, where the rally of opponents of the (Covid) measures took place in the afternoon.’ 20min.ch continues. ‘As Baseljetzt reports, the German police arrested four people and gave eleven others the order to disperse.’
Notice here how 20min.ch places the mention of arrests being made right beside the approved rally. Then they cite Baseljetzt as quoting the German police regarding four arrests and 11 dispersion orders. And yet, if you go to the Baseljetzt report it says this:
‘According to police headquarters, the unauthorized counter-demonstration resulted in twelve criminal offenses for dangerous bodily harm, violations of the law of assembly, insults, resistance to state authority, breach of the peace and assault. One police officer was slightly injured. Four people were arrested and eleven people were expelled.’ (emphasis added)
Source: Screenshot of Baseljetzt
20min.ch concludes it’s reporting:
‘In Basel-Stadt, police from six cantons, two water cannons and a helicopter were deployed to enforce the ban on demonstrations. Rubber bullets and irritant gas were used several times.’
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how the information warfare is fought. Lies by omission are very, very powerful – especially to those slightly less aware.
Yes, all of those resources were used, and at the expense of the Basel city tax payer. However, they were only used to ‘enforce the ban’ on the lawless vandals and thugs, who’s only objective is to nobly fight against everything and everyone they deem to be “Fascist”, “hateful”, “racist” etc …
In summary …
The city of Basel banned the peaceful people from acting out their Constitutional rights, and therefore did exactly what the Left-wing extremists wanted all along – paving the way for lawlessness, violence and chaos to have the city all to itself.
Is this really what the people of Basel city want? To be held hostage by lawless, violent, roving mobs!?
The reporting by 20min.ch, the most widespread media source in Switzerland, on the events of that Saturday was appalling in it’s relation to reality. One has to constantly ask themselves the question “Is this due to ignorance or malevolence?”.
You be the judge.
– The Hopeful Human
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