On Friday, November 25, an unauthorized demonstration in Basel ended violently. After about 200 people gathered on the Theaterplatz around 7 p.m. on the occasion of the International Day against Violence against Women, the Basel City Cantonal Police used various means such as rubber bullets to break up the demonstration. According to the police, dialogue with the demonstrators had been sought beforehand. It seems grotesque: On the same day, the cantonal police went public with the campaign "Halt Gewalt" (Stop Violence) - and on the same evening, they reacted with violence to the demonstrators, who drew attention to the same problems.
- We support the content of the "Stop Violence" campaign with actions of our International Youth Network and are glad that the police have recognized the serious problem of gender-based violence. We think it is important to build trust in central security actors like the police in this way.
- At the same time, experiences like the one on Friday destroy this trust and increase the hurdle for people affected by violence to seek help.
- We call on the cantonal police and government councilor Stephanie Eymann to come to terms with the police operation on November 25. Endangering the participants of the demonstration with rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray is based on the same violence against which the campaign "Stop Violence" is directed.
- More money, time and personnel should be allocated to combat and raise awareness against gender-based violence.
