Anti-Blocher protest turns ugly
terratech | 21.09.2007 21:17 | Anti-racism | World
Billionnaire industrialist Christoph Blocher has changed the landscape of Swiss politics. In October 2003, his right-wing People's Party's (SVP) won the biggest share of the vote in parliamentary elections, shaking the consensus style of leadership which has existed in the country for more than 40 years.
Anti-Blocher Riot
Two hundred rioters sowed chaos in Lausanne’s city center after a peaceful march of 2,000 people protesting the visit of the Swiss People's Party leader.
Rioters set fires in trashcans, smashed windows and threw bottles in Lausanne’s city center Tuesday night following a march to protest a visit by Christoph Blocher, leader of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC).
Blocher attended the Suisse Comptoir, the city’s annual commercial fair at the Palais de Beaulieu convention center, where he spoke to several hundred people without incident. Outside the center, a march of 2,000 people backed by left-wing parties and anti-racist organizations to protest his visit and what they termed the “racist” and “fascist” campaign of his party.
The peaceful march from the place de la Palud to the Palais de Beaulieu was marred at the end when an estimated 200 rioters dressed in black smashed doors to the convention center and taunted police forces.
They were repelled by 150 riot police who used teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the activists. Police forced the protestors towards the city center, where they caused more damage. They broke several shop windows, lit fires and made barricades out of garbage containers. Police brought the situation under control by 9 p.m.
A dozen people were reported arrested. “We tried to disperse the crowd peacefully but rioters kept provoking us,” said Marc Vuilleumier, Lausanne’s police chief. Jean-Michel Dolivo, representative of A Gauche Toute! and organizer of the demonstration, said he did not regret organizing the peaceful march. But he said it had been spoiled by “counter-productive violence.”
Inside the convention center, Blocher commented on the protest march. “The Left are demonstrating outside,” he said. “It’s a way of showing that they are angry. Me, also, I’m angry, but I show it in a different way. I will continue to battle against this Left wing that I believe to be a danger for Switzerland.”
More information on Blocher at;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3206778.stm
Article at;
http://raw-rap.com/e107/news.php?item.139.10
Rioters set fires in trashcans, smashed windows and threw bottles in Lausanne’s city center Tuesday night following a march to protest a visit by Christoph Blocher, leader of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC).
Blocher attended the Suisse Comptoir, the city’s annual commercial fair at the Palais de Beaulieu convention center, where he spoke to several hundred people without incident. Outside the center, a march of 2,000 people backed by left-wing parties and anti-racist organizations to protest his visit and what they termed the “racist” and “fascist” campaign of his party.
The peaceful march from the place de la Palud to the Palais de Beaulieu was marred at the end when an estimated 200 rioters dressed in black smashed doors to the convention center and taunted police forces.
They were repelled by 150 riot police who used teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the activists. Police forced the protestors towards the city center, where they caused more damage. They broke several shop windows, lit fires and made barricades out of garbage containers. Police brought the situation under control by 9 p.m.
A dozen people were reported arrested. “We tried to disperse the crowd peacefully but rioters kept provoking us,” said Marc Vuilleumier, Lausanne’s police chief. Jean-Michel Dolivo, representative of A Gauche Toute! and organizer of the demonstration, said he did not regret organizing the peaceful march. But he said it had been spoiled by “counter-productive violence.”
Inside the convention center, Blocher commented on the protest march. “The Left are demonstrating outside,” he said. “It’s a way of showing that they are angry. Me, also, I’m angry, but I show it in a different way. I will continue to battle against this Left wing that I believe to be a danger for Switzerland.”
More information on Blocher at;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3206778.stm Article at;
http://raw-rap.com/e107/news.php?item.139.10
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