Hundreds demonstrated on Saturday outside the Parliament in Berne and in other Swiss cities against restrictions imposed by the authorities to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus, the Keystone-ATS news agency reported.
The protests came amid steps by the Government of Switzerland, which has registered over 1,500 deaths and 30.000 infections, to relax the confinement measures, authorising hairdressing salons and florists to reopen two weeks ago. From Monday, schools, restaurants, museums and libraries will also be able to reopen their doors, although they will be required to observe a number of specific conditions.
Saturday’s demonstrators in Berne, who felt the restrictions violated their basic rights, booed and whistled at the police deployed at the demonstration site, according to ATS. Many brandished placards proclaiming that “Sweden is doing as well as Switzerland without confinement measures.”
About 100 to 200 persons also demonstrated in Zurich, and about 80 in Saint-Gall, according to ATS, which said both demonstrations were separate from the Berne protest.
Switzerland’s Government imposed stay-at-home measures in mid-March, closing schools and non-essential businesses.
Gatherings of more than five persons are still banned in theory.
The Brussels Times
