Basel voters decide on protest costs and museum storage centre

Basel-Stadt voters will decide on September 27 whether people responsible for damage or police costs at demonstrations can be held financially liable, SRF reports. They will also vote on a proposal to use a Messe Basel hall as a collection centre for cultural institutions.

The so-called anti-chaos initiative, launched by the Basel SVP, would require people responsible for unauthorised demonstrations to pay police costs and cover damage. People who use violence against others or property could also be held liable at authorised demonstrations.

The initiative would further require the government to develop a plan to reduce the number of unauthorised demonstrations. Permitted spontaneous rallies would remain possible.

“There is no fundamental right to use violence or cause property damage,” SVP cantonal parliamentarian Demi Hablützel said. Party president Pascal Messerli said those who cause disruption and commit violence should pay the police costs they have generated.

The government and the cantonal parliament recommend rejecting the initiative. They say it raises questions about freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, while reliably identifying those responsible is often difficult.

GLP president Serge Meyer warned that the proposal could deter people from demonstrating because they might fear being charged for police operations. SP parliamentarian Barbara Heer rejected the claim that demonstrations regularly paralyse life in Basel.

The government and opponents also say that existing law already allows costs to be charged to those responsible. The difficulty, they argue, is often identifying the individuals involved and assigning costs clearly.

The recent eviction of the occupied property known as “Zack!” has become a central example in the debate. Two people who resisted the eviction were charged a total of 90,000 Swiss francs in police costs. Opponents see this as evidence that existing law is sufficient, while supporters say the rules need to be applied more clearly and consistently.

According to police figures, Basel recorded 68 demonstration marches and 394 rallies in 2025. Of those rallies, 86 took place without a permit.

Voters will also decide on collection centre

The second proposal on the ballot would require the Rundhofhalle at Messe Basel to house the collections of the Historical Museum, the State Archives and the University Library.

The initiative’s supporters want to prevent the canton from building a new facility at Hebelschanze for the University Library’s special collection. The government and cantonal parliament oppose the proposal, saying the exhibition hall may not be suitable for the permanent storage of valuable cultural assets. They want to continue with the existing plans.

The cantonal parliament rejected the initiative unanimously, and all major parties recommend voting against it. The SVP’s only support among the major parties comes from the FDP. The SP, Greens, GLP, Basta, LDP and Centre oppose it, while the EVP has allowed its members to make their own choice.

A similar debate took place in the canton of Zurich, where voters rejected the SVP’s anti-chaos initiative in 2024 but accepted a counterproposal allowing extraordinary police operation costs to be charged under certain conditions.