"I'd rather be in the pool" Tens of thousands demonstrate loudly on Women's Strike Day

Tens of thousands of women demonstrated in Swiss cities on Women's Strike Day on Saturday afternoon. Among other things, they were protesting against setbacks in equality, violence against women, safe access to abortion and equal pay.

Keystone-SDA

14.06.2025, 19:54

SDA

"United in resistance" was the motto of the Bern Feminist Strike Collective. Switzerland is currently experiencing an anti-feminist backlash, it said in an appeal. The number of femicides has risen sharply this year and conservative values have gained strength in politics.

According to the Keystone-SDA news agency, more than ten thousand people took to the streets in Bern to demonstrate against gender-based violence, more co-determination and equal rights for all. The organizing strike collective spoke of 35,000 participants. The parade route led from Schützenmatte through the city center to the Bundeshaus in sweltering heat.

Humor despite serious topics in Zurich

"I'd rather be in the pool", read the cardboard sign of one participant who, like many others, was suffering from the heat. It was 32 degrees in the city center on Saturday afternoon.

But demonstrating was obviously a civic duty for them: equipped with water bottles and parasols, the participants marched from the Rudolf Brun Bridge to Helvetiaplatz.

Loud and uncomfortable

In a communiqué issued in the evening, the organizers spoke of more than 55,000 demonstrators in Zurich, while the Zurich city police said there were well over ten thousand participants. The themes of the demonstration were familiar, but still relevant: patriarchy, wage inequality, violence against women.

There was a "Zünftig feminist" float as a side blow to the male-dominated Sechseläuten festival. As usual, the women's demonstration was accompanied by loud music. At the end of the block there was therefore also a place for those sensitive to noise: a "quiet block" without music.

The demonstration was authorized. Along the route of the parade, there was repeated spray-painting and several paint bottles were thrown at facades, the Zurich city police wrote in the evening. One window was damaged. Otherwise, the demonstration was peaceful.

Basel takes a stand against war

Around 5000 people gathered in Basel under the slogan "Name violence, bundle anger, unite in resistance". With banners such as "When women unite, freedom is born" or "Women on the run need our protection" as well as countless purple placards and balloons, the demonstration marched from Barfüsserplatz across Wettsteinbrücke to the barracks area.

The Feminist Strike Basel also took a stand against war - be it in Ukraine, Gaza, Congo, Kurdistan, Sudan or elsewhere in the world. Numerous Palestine flags were also on display at the rally.

Call for political participation in Lucerne

Several thousand women also demonstrated in Lucerne. SP city councillor Melanie Setz called for women to put themselves in position for the next elections. In 2023, women won two seats in Lucerne's five-member cantonal government, and a year later they won three in the city of Lucerne, giving them a majority. "We won't let these seats be taken away from us," said Setz.

Around 2000 people "went on strike" in the city of St. Gallen. Before the procession through the city center, the participants protested against femicides with a resounding cry of rage. There have already been 15 femicides in Switzerland this year, said a spokeswoman. Signs read "Stop femicides", "Freedom, equality, goodbye patriarchy" and "Grannies against the right".

In French-speaking Switzerland, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Geneva, Lausanne and Sion. In the Rhone city alone, the police counted 3,500 participants, while the Keystone-SDA news agency counted several thousand more. In Lausanne, instead of a parade, there was a square rally on Place Saint-François, which was symbolically renamed Place Sainte-Françoise.

In the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, around 600 people gathered in Bellinzona for the women's strike demonstration, according to the organizers. According to the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB), demonstrations were held in around 25 municipalities and cities across Switzerland.