● On May 25, 2025, 2,000 protesters in Bern demanded an end to the genocide in Palestine, urging swiss govt to abandon its selective neutrality and take decisive humanitarian action.
● The protest highlighted global solidarity, growing local activism, and called for accountability, a ceasefire, and stronger diplomatic pressure from Switzerland.
On May 25, 2025, approximately 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters filled the streets of Bern, Switzerland, marching through the city center and likely passing near the Federal Palace, the heart of Swiss governance. Organized by Basel4Palestine, this powerful demonstration was a resounding call for justice, demanding an end to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians and urging the Swiss government and the international community to take decisive action. The scale of this protest underscores the urgency of the protesters’ demands and the need for Switzerland with its global diplomatic influence, to confront its role in addressing this humanitarian catastrophe.
A Demand That Echoes Globally
The Bern protest was a vivid expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people, part of a broader wave of demonstrations across Europe and beyond, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. Protesters marched toward the U.S. Embassy and Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer, to condemn U.S. unconditional support for Israel’s actions against humanity and the role of military contractors in the conflict. Despite the escalation, which saw police deploy tear gas and rubber bullets, the core message was clear: the international community must act to stop the systematic violence against Palestinians. This protest, echoing similar actions worldwide, demands that Switzerland, a nation renowned for its humanitarian legacy, has a moral obligation to respond, to heed the call and lead efforts to end the genocide.
The Genocide in Palestine: A Moral Test for Switzerland
The term “genocide” carries profound weight, backed by reports from organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which have documented insane war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law in Palestine. The ongoing slaughter has resulted in tens of thousands brutal deaths, millions displaced, and entire communities devastated, far surpassing the scale of aggression in other recent conflicts. The Bern protesters were not merely voicing solidarity; they were demanding an end to a humanitarian catastrophe that has torn apart lives and communities. Switzerland, as a signatory to the Geneva Conventions and host to global institutions like the United Nations, must take a leading role in advocating for an immediate ceasefire, ensuring humanitarian aid, and supporting accountability for these atrocities.
Switzerland’s Selective Neutrality: A Contradiction in Crisis
Switzerland’s long-standing policy of neutrality has been a cornerstone of its international identity, yet its application has been inconsistent. In 2022, Switzerland broke its neutrality by adopting sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that, while devastating as it is, has resulted in significantly far less civilian casualties and less widespread destruction compared to the Palestinian crisis. According to the United Nations (UN Human Rights Office), as of mid-2025, the Ukraine conflict has led to over 10,000 civilian deaths since 2022, whereas Gaza alone has seen over 50,000 innocent civilians inlcuding more than 15,000 children murdered in a much shorter time frame, with systemic destruction of infrastructure and displacement of millions. The contrast is stark: Switzerland’s willingness to abandon neutrality in one case but remain passive in the face of a far more deadly and aggressive genocide raises questions about its moral consistency.
This selective neutrality undermines Switzerland’s credibility as a neutral arbiter. The protesters in Bern were not just demanding action on Palestine but challenging Switzerland to align its foreign policy with its humanitarian principles. If Switzerland can take a stand against Russia’s aggression, it must also confront the far graver crisis in Palestine, where the scale of loss and suffering demands a much stronger response.
Comparing Police and State Reactions: Ukraine vs. Palestine Protests
The Swiss state and police response to the May 25, 2025, pro-Palestinian protest in Bern, which saw tear gas, rubber bullets, contrasts sharply with the handling of a March 4, 2023, peace demonstration for Ukraine in Bern. The 2023 event, organized to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, was authorized and saw a lighter police presence with no reported injuries or use of force, reflecting broader public and state sympathy for Ukraine (Swissinfo, March 2023). This disparity highlights a troubling bias: while the Ukraine protest benefited from Switzerland’s alignment with Western sanctions against Russia, the Palestinian protest faced harsher measures, possibly due to the state’s reluctance to challenge Israel’s actions, revealing inconsistencies in Switzerland’s neutral stance.
A Growing Movement: Pro-Palestinian Protests in Switzerland
The Bern protest is part of a sustained wave of pro-Palestinian activism in Switzerland over the past two years, reflecting growing public outrage. In October 2023, thousands marched in Geneva and Zurich following the escalation of violence in Gaza, demanding a ceasefire and an end to the blockade. In May 2024, a large demonstration in Basel saw hundreds call for Switzerland to mediate peace talks, emphasizing its role as a neutral state. These protests, often met with police resistance, including tear gas and arrests, highlight the persistence of activists, particularly from younger generations and diaspora communities, who refuse to let the Palestinian cause be ignored.
On May 24, 2025, the day before the Bern protest, demonstrations near Bern’s Bahnhof and the U.S. Embassy were dispersed by police, with reports of six injured officers. This continuity of protests underscores the movement’s momentum and the urgency of the cause, as activists across Switzerland amplify their demands for justice.
Switzerland’s Path Forward: A Call to Action
The Bern protest, with its proximity to the Federal Palace, serves as a direct challenge to the Swiss government. To honor the protesters’ demands and uphold its humanitarian legacy, Switzerland must take concrete steps:
1. Push for an end to Genocide: Leverage its diplomatic influence to advocate for an immediate and permanent stop to the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid.
2. Support Accountability: Back international investigations into Israeli war crimes, using its position as a hub for global institutions to amplify calls for justice.
3. Engage with Activists: Listen to Palestinian diaspora communities and protesters in Switzerland to shape a foreign policy that reflects their demands.
4. Reevaluate Neutrality: Move beyond selective neutrality, taking a principled stand against genocide, as it did against Russia, to address the far greater humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
A Global Movement, a Local Responsibility
The Bern protest was part of a global weekend of action, with pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Poland, the UK, and the US drawing tens of thousands. In Switzerland, the persistence of protests over the past two years signals a growing consensus that the status quo in Palestine is untenable. The clashes in Bern, while regrettable, reflect the depth of frustration with global inaction. Switzerland, with its history of diplomacy and human rights advocacy, has a unique opportunity to lead by example.
The 2,000 voices in Bern on May 25, 2025, joined by thousands more across Switzerland since 2023, are a clarion call for justice. The Swiss government must not only hear these demands but act on them, addressing the genocide in Palestine with even greater resolve it showed against Russia. Silence in the face of such suffering is not neutrality—it is complicity. Switzerland must rise to the challenge, championing peace, accountability, and humanity on the global stage.
Images from the Protest
