Switzerland: Police prevent the move with water cannons and rubber bullets

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On Sunday night, mostly young people organized an unauthorized street party on the Kleine Allmend in Bern. The Kleine Allmend is located on the city limits of Ostermundigen, south of the Bern Wankdorf motorway exit . Several hundred people celebrated around a wood fire. According to an eyewitness, they heard muffled, not too loud music. The police were on duty with several box vans and several dozen police officers. The mood was initially very relaxed. The people danced peacefully to the music, only a few participants were masked. Some would have disguised themselves, all wore mouth and nose masks. The young people had met at the Kleine Allmend at 9.45 p.m. Then more and more music cars were added. After 10:15 p.m., the entourage slowly moved towards downtown Bern. There were banners with political messages on individual cars.

The initially peaceful atmosphere changed when the partygoers pelted the police with stones and bottles, erected barricades and set them on fire. There was major property damage to a building, among other things. This is apparently the Tesla garage, which is not far from Kleine Allmend on the corner of Bolligenstrasse and Zentweg. The police used water cannons, rubber shot and irritants after repeated warnings to prevent the move, as stated in a communiqué sent on Sunday night.

The water cannon was also used to extinguish a burning container and burning street barricades. The police were supported by the professional fire brigade from Protection and Rescue Bern. Several streets were closed for a long time. At 10:44 p.m., Bernmobil reported that tram line 9 between Bern Bahnhof and Bern Wankdorf had been interrupted. Around midnight, the young people were again gathered around a wood fire on the Kleine Allmend. Music played from a music system. The police cordoned off Bolligenstrasse and posted their emergency vehicles around the Kleine Allmend. She watched the situation.

There was no more violence after midnight. At about 0.45 a.m. the bang of three petards could be heard, which the young people threw into the fire. Little by little, those present left the Kleine Allmend. At around 1 a.m., a group of several dozen young people moved away with the music system in the direction of Ostermundigen train station. The party on the Kleine Allmend was over. According to the police, a total of 44 people were stopped, checked and turned away. Vehicles including those with music systems - were also seized.

On the same night there was also an incident and a police operation in the vicinity of the riding school. At around 1:40 a.m., the police had to move out on Schützenmattstrasse because of a burning container. This was finally extinguished by the fire brigade. The police cannot say whether the rioters on the Schützenmatte are the same people as at the party in Wankdorf. After the move in the direction of the city center was dissolved, the participants left in small groups. To say that the people who lit a container on the shooting mat were people who had previously attended the party would be speculation, according to a police spokeswoman.