🇨🇭 Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Bern: between ban, tensions and national debate

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🕊️ An unauthorized demonstration in the capital

This Saturday, several hundred people gathered in the streets of Bern to demonstrate in support of the Palestinian people.
The demonstration, not authorized by the authorities, had been announced on social networks despite bans on gatherings linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans calling for an end to the violence in Gaza. According to the Bern cantonal police, between 3000 and 5000 people participated, before the police intervened to disperse the crowd.

RTS images of the pro-Palestinian demonstration

TJ of October 12, 2025, 2min11

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👮‍♂️ Several arrests and a significant police presence

The authorities quickly deployed a reinforced police force around the city center, fearing overflows.
Riot units and vehicles blocked several main roads.
According to the police spokesman, several hundred preventive arrests took place, in particular for identity checks and verification of possible violent behavior.

No serious injuries were reported, but verbal tensions and some clashes were observed.
Law enforcement officials stressed that the demonstration had not received authorization, which made any participation liable to sanctions.

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⚖️ A debate on freedom of expression and Swiss neutrality

The event has rekindled a sensitive debate in Switzerland: Should demonstrations related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be allowed or not?

The authorities invoke the public safety and the risk of excesses to justify the bans.
But several human rights organizations denounce a excessive restriction of freedom to demonstrate in a country known for its neutrality and democratic openness.

Some believe it is essential to be able to express solidarity with the Palestinian civilian population who are victims of the conflict, while others fear political exploitation and the dissemination of hateful messages.

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🧭 Between humanitarian compassion and ideological tensions

The debate is not only about the right to demonstrate, but also about the very nature of pro-Palestinian rallies.
While the majority of protesters say they want to denounce the civilian suffering in Gaza — including the deaths of children and the lack of humanitarian aid — some slogans or symbols can be controversial.

Swiss political voices, particularly on the right, claim that Some groups are exploiting the Palestinian cause to spread messages hostile to Israel or the Jewish community.
For their part, NGOs point out that Supporting Palestinian civilians does not mean supporting Hamas, but demand a peaceful solution and respect for international humanitarian law.

Images of the fire clashes in the middle of Rue de Berne (RTS)

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🕯️ The human drama at the heart of the conflict

On the ground, civilians are paying a terrible price.
The United Nations and the Red Cross are talking about a major humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip: lack of water, electricity, hospitals and food.
Thousands of children and families are living under bombardment or in precarious camps.

In Switzerland, these images arouse anger, sadness and incomprehensionMany protesters say they only want to express their solidarity with the innocent victims, while calling for a immediate ceasefire.

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🗣️ Political reactions in Switzerland

The Swiss political class remains divided.

• The left-wing parties denounce police repression and call for guaranteeing the freedom to demonstrate for humanitarian causes.
• The center and right-wing parties, they support the firmness of the authorities, believing that these gatherings risk importing the conflict onto Swiss soil.

At the federal level, the Federal Council recalls the Switzerland's position of active neutrality : support for dialogue, respect for international law, and humanitarian aid to civilians on both sides.

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🔍 Why do these tensions persist?

Pro-Palestinian protests in Europe reflect a emotional and political fracture.
For many, supporting Palestine means defending a people under occupation.
For others, it risks trivializing the actions of armed groups like Hamas, considered terrorists by Switzerland and the European Union.

The heart of the debate remains: How can we express solidarity with civilians without condoning violence?
It is this grey area, between humanitarian empathy and political prudence, which makes the subject explosive in Swiss public opinion.

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❤️ A society between compassion and vigilance

The Bern demonstration illustrates the complexity of the issue: compassion for the innocent, fear of excesses, and the need to preserve civil peace in Switzerland.
The majority of Swiss people want the end of violence, but also the maintenance of the national cohesion and the respect between communities.

As the holiday season approaches, many are calling for a refocusing of the debate on humanitarian values : relief for victims, reception of refugees, and dialogue for peace.

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✍️ Conclusion

The unauthorized gathering in Bern is a reminder that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leaves no one indifferent, even in the heart of a neutral country like Switzerland.
There is a fine line between freedom of expression, security and collective responsibility.
But one thing remains certain: In pain as in debate, humanity must always prevail over hatred.

RTS info page on the subject: https://www.rts.ch/info/regions/berne/2025/article/manifestation-pro-palestine-a-berne-20-blesses-et-degats-en-millions-29026356.html

Why mobilize for terrorists?

The headline obviously provokes a reaction, but in fact the conflict is due to the terrorists who have kidnapped and murdered innocent Israelis. A large number of women have rallied in support of Palestine? which is rather paradoxical, because if they had to live with Hamas they'd be a long way from their feminist standards. It's not a question of defending the war, Israel seems to be giving a disproportionate response to the attack on 7 October 2023, but the terrorists are using human shields to hide behind and the deaths of children are part of their strategy to gain support from public opinion.

Hamas, an Islamist movement founded in 1987 and in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007, takes a conservative position on women's rights.
Although the movement claims to support women's participation in society - particularly in education, health and certain public functions - it imposes a strict religious view inspired by Sharia law. The Gaza authorities have restricted mixed-gender groups in public places, imposed dress codes on women (mandatory veils in public schools and government offices), and limited their freedom of movement without a male guardian.

Local and international NGOs, such as Human Rights Watch, denounce systemic discrimination : early marriages, inequalities in inheritance and access to justice, as well as weak political representation. Despite the presence of women in some Hamas bodies, their decision-making power remains marginal.

Another case of women's rights violated in the Palestinian territories: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/11/02/woman-gaza-fights-travel-ban-imposed-her-father