Switzerland: Unauthorized Rally Leaves Bern in Shambles

No, this is not the March Against Monsanto demonstration in Bern, the Swiss capital. On the evening of the same day, more than 10,000 people participated in the “Tanz Dich Frei” (Dance Yourself Free) parade. The event deteriorated into violence, resulting in 50 injured, mostly members of the security forces, and 61 arrests. Members of the “Black Bloc” may have been responsible for the violence. Attempts were made to break down the barriers protecting the Parliament buildings. The police responded with tear gas and water cannons, saying they faced an “extremely high outburst of violence”. Shop windows were smashed and food stores looted, resulting in hundreds of thousands of francs’ worth of damage. The police are lodging a complaint against Facebook for its role in organizing the demonstration, but Facebook so far has not responded. Internet photos of the violence seem to have been censored.
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