Bloody Halloween Night in Switzerland: Will Gen Z Protests Turn Violent?

Zurich and Basel in Switzerland witnessed youth protests on Saturday evening that included clashes with police and burning barricades, as part of the broader European "Gen Z" movement coinciding with Halloween celebrations.

In Zurich, masked individuals set up barricades using trash bins and electric bicycles and set them on fire, prompting police intervention with water cannons to restore order. Meanwhile, Basel saw an unauthorized march accompanied by acts of vandalism and temporary disruptions to public transport.

These protests are part of a wider European youth wave demanding lower living and housing costs, increased investment in education and mental health, rejection of austerity measures and conscription trends, and stronger climate action.

In Germany, tens of thousands joined demonstrations organized by the movement in cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, and Munich, before some protests turned into clashes with police, who used water cannons after their forces were targeted with stones, bottles, and fireworks.