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Police cleared Bern’s Bundesplatz square early Wednesday morning. The hard core of the climate activists did not leave the demonstration voluntarily.
The climate demonstration on the Bundesplatz in Bern ended on Wednesday morning.
The essentials in brief:
- Several hundred climate activists have occupied the Bundesplatz in Bern since Monday morning under the slogan “Stand up for change”. On Wednesday night, the police cleared the Bundesplatz.
- The city government had given the activists an ultimatum, according to which the protesters would have to move to another location on Tuesday night. These refused.
- A second unauthorized demonstration march reached the Bundesplatz shortly after 6pm on Tuesday. The police had previously attacked the participants in this demonstration with rubber bullets and water cannons.
Empty tents, abandoned stages, a row of straw bales – when dawn broke on the Bundesplatz on Wednesday, there was not much to see from the demonstration of the climate activists.
During the night, the last of the protesters chained himself in front of the entrance to the Federal Palace. They were not deterred by a late afternoon thunderstorm or increased pressure from the police at night. Emergency services had surrounded the camp since 2 a.m.
Police officers transport the latest climate activists from the Bundesplatz in Bern.
A few dozen activists followed the calls of officials and soon gave up. Most initially resisted the invitation to leave. Sitting on the ground, they chanted and chanted “Protecting the climate is not a crime.”
“Another world is possible and we will never give up,” climate activists wrote in a message. “We demand climate justice and an immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030.”
Police use without violence
Around 3 a.m., the officers began to act actively. The police had to take each person or take them one by one. The fire brigade supported the emergency services and carefully cut the chained people. Representatives of the Organization of Democratic Jurists observed them. The atmosphere remained peaceful, with many police officers demonstrating that they were not wearing helmets.
Police work moderated by @PoliceBerna at the Bundesplatz. Activists stage action theater. The direction is directed by Claquere from the background pic.twitter.com/fx53tM7t6u
– Georg Häsler Sansano (@Haesler_Sansano) September 23, 2020
Bern Mayor Alec von Graffenried was satisfied with the evacuation process on Wednesday morning. The work from all sides was professional and decent. Everything was very quiet. It was almost like following a script, ”von Graffenried told the SDA.
According to von Graffenried, the police presence could not be avoided. “The activists told us that the illegal act was part of it. Therefore, it was clear that the police would put an end to this demonstration. I feel like you’ve been waiting for it. ”
Firefighters remove the chains in front of the Federal Palace in Bern. Photo taken on September 23.
Ultimatas, water cannons and pellets
The city government of Bern had requested the evacuation of the camp in the afternoon of Tuesday afternoon. It is “one last offer”. “Now it’s up to the activists to evict the square peacefully,” Bern city security director Reto Nause (cvp.) Told the media.
The activists were offered to move to the orphanage square 200 meters away or to the Schützenmatte in front of the riding school. The protesters wanted nothing to do with a voluntary withdrawal. Kim Teuscher, media spokesperson for the organization “Stand up for change” explained to “Blick” that the plenary had decided not to accept the ultimatum from the city of Bern.
The protesters had already passed a first ultimatum on Tuesday morning. For the traditional weekly market, they dismantled their tents between 4 am and 4:45 am, set aside heavy objects, and made space for stalls at the weekly market. Once the last drivers of the market left, activists were back in place.
While remaining silent on the Bundesplatz, the police proceeded Tuesday afternoon at the bulwark with rubber pellets and water cannons against participants in a second demonstration. Under the label “Stop Isolation”, the participants campaigned for the right to stay of migrants.
The activists will be moved to retreat with water cannons.
Bourgeois parliamentarians trembled for the rule of law
In parliament, where the fall session is currently being held, the occupation of the Bundesplatz by climate activists was met with misunderstanding. The SVP wanted to increase pressure on the Bern city authorities with a request for order. A narrow majority rejected Esther Friedli’s (svp., St. Gallen) motion on Tuesday afternoon with 90-79 votes and 16 abstentions. Unlike the night before, the parliamentary groups of the FDP and CVP no longer voted unanimously in favor of the motion and some abstained.
Friedli described the events at Bundesplatz as a “tragedy”. “I wonder if we will continue to live in a constitutional state,” said SVP national councilor. On several occasions, the activists did not comply with the agreements. “After the riding arena, the city of Bern has a second legally free zone.”
Market drivers were limited in their activities on Tuesday. “You were punished today for working hard yesterday.” The defensive behavior of the city authorities is an “affront to all those citizens who obey the law”.
A market conductor clears his boxes while activists have already reoccupied the entire Bundesplatz.
The president of the National Council, Isabelle Moret (fdp., Vaud), pointed out that the National Council was not responsible for the events on the Bundesplatz. The council presidencies had already told the city and canton of Bern on Monday that the illegal action should be stopped.
On the other hand, the action found understanding between the Green and Social Democrats councilors. Demonstrations should also be possible during the session, said the president of the Greens, the national councilor Balthasar Glättli, in a video message posted on social media.
The Swiss environmental organization Greenpeace Switzerland welcomed the move: politicians and much of the economy are unwilling to adequately address the climate crisis. Therefore, it is important that the climate movement raises its voice again after the impact of the crown.
There are no rallies during the session
Since 1925, there has been a general ban on demonstrations during sessions in front of the Federal Palace. The city and the federal government recently agreed to allow small-scale demonstrations without disturbing noise, but larger demonstrations should not yet be approved in principle.
On Monday, sometimes up to a thousand people were in the Bundesplatz. With the occupation, climate activists wanted to kick off the “Stand Up for Change” week of action. The protest is directed against institutional politics and the economy. Activists consciously rely on civil disobedience. A catalog of requirements on the Internet provides for a comprehensive restructuring of current regulations.
Various groups from the so-called climate movement have come together for the campaign, including the “climate strike” founded by school children. However, the flags with the Extinction Rebellion runic logo were particularly eye-catching on the Bundesplatz. The organization drew attention in the past when it wanted to disrupt the landing of planes in London with drones or when the Limmat river in Zurich was colored bright green.
Members of the activist group Extinction Rebellion during an action at the Bundesplatz.
With agency material
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