An “anti-imperialist” demonstration was carried out in Bern on Sunday, the first anniversary of a Gaza protest that escalated into violence in October 2025.
The organisers described the event as an “anti-kettle demo” and said they wanted to avoid a confrontational situation with police.
The demonstration was not authorised.
Police said they deployed a large force, including officers from other cantons, and used loudspeaker announcements to make clear that they would not allow a march through the city centre.
Die heutige unbewilligte Kundgebung in #Bern ist ohne grössere Zwischenfälle verlaufen. Alle Strassensperrungen wurden aufgehoben. Am Rande des Umzugs kam es zu einzelnen Verunreinigungen. Wir haben Personenkontrollen durchgeführt und vereinzelt Material sichergestellt. Eine…
— Kantonspolizei Bern (@PoliceBern) October 11, 2026
The main gathering took place in the Rosengarten, a popular park and tourist spot, from about 3 pm. Participants then moved through the outer districts towards the Reitschule, rather than through the old town.
Keystone-SDA reported that around 1,000 people took part. Bern’s security director Philippe Müller estimated the turnout at slightly below that figure. The organisers had called for a demonstration against capitalism and imperialism, with slogans including “Smash Imperialism.”
Police carried out targeted identity checks before and during the event and said they seized material. They also reported that one person was stopped after carrying several knives. There were no reports of serious injuries or major property damage.
READ MORE: A Party That Turned Violent: Zurich Police Clear Illegal Hardplatz Gathering
What Happened In Bern On 11 October 2025?
The date carried weight because of what happened in Bern on 11 October 2025. That Gaza demonstration drew around 8,000 people, including a black bloc of roughly 300, and ended in hours of violence in the city centre.
Participants threw stones, chairs and other objects at police, injuring 18 officers. Windows were smashed, cash machines damaged, and a fire was set outside the Della Casa restaurant while guests and staff were inside.
The 2025 operation involved 660 police officers from across Switzerland and cost CHF 1.1 million. Property damage ran into the high six figures, according to a city government report.
Bern’s cantonal police had warned in advance that the unauthorised rally could cause road closures and traffic disruption. It said it was deploying a security apparatus but declined, for tactical reasons, to disclose the expected size of the crowd or its assessment of the risk of violence.
The police presence was visible well before the official start time. Officers in heavy protective gear patrolled the Rosengarten from about 1.30pm, and large police vans were stationed around the park.
The police stopped and checked 536 people on the day. It also said investigators have since identified 101 suspected offenders from the 2025 riot using video footage, with charges filed against 75 of them for offences including breach of the peace, property damage and assault.
Political Distancing
Established left-wing parties kept their distance from Sunday’s event. Both the Social Democrats and the Greens said the tone and content of the call did not match their positions.
That separation mattered politically. The 2025 violence had put pressure on Bern’s authorities and raised questions about how unauthorised demonstrations with a known risk of escalation should be handled. City security director Alec von Graffenried said before Sunday’s rally that police were well prepared and would do everything to prevent a repeat.
Sunday’s demonstration did not repeat the destruction of a year earlier.
