Zurich erupts in violence during right-wing rally
By Peter Nielsen
ZURICH, Sept 23 (Reuter) - Fashionable downtown Zurich
erupted in violence on Saturday as police clashed with
anarchists trying to interrupt a right-wing rally.
Police in riot gear used teargas, water cannons and rubber
bullets to disperse around 300 radicals, who had begun throwing
bottles and stones.
Black smoke from burning cars and dustbins mixed with the
grey haze of teargas as radicals, many wearing ski caps, goggles
and scarves to hide their faces, fought with baton-wielding
police along Zurich's river front.
Even after the anarchists had been dispersed, fighting
continued in many of Zurich's small side streets where shop
windows were smashed and cars damaged.
Seventeen arrests had been made by mid-afternoon.
The rally was being held by the Swiss People's Party (SVP)
to demand that Switzerland stay out of the European Union.
SVP politician Christoph Blocher -- whom the anarchists
regard as a racist -- told around 10,000 people that Switzerland
should reject government plans to join.
``Whoever says ``Yes' to Switzerland must say ``No' to EU
entry. The EU is not for smaller countries,'' Blocher said.
He told Reuters the rally, which celebrated Swiss heritage,
had been called to show the government Swiss people are still
against the EU and to urge them to make their feelings known at
the October 22 general election.
Three years ago Switzerland voted against joining the
European Economic Area (EEA), seen as an interim step toward
full EU membership.
A second political rally called to promote an ``Open and
Tolerant Switzerland'' was peaceful, although participants
whistled and booed when Blocher attempted to speak.
Finance Minister Otto Stich told some 6,000 people that
intolerance and hatred of foreigners was a symptom of fear and
said it was up to the Swiss people to prevent nationalistic
propaganda from taking hold.
Reuter N:Copyright 1995, Reuters News Service
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