Swiss court upholds suspended fines for Zurich climate blockade

Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has upheld suspended fines imposed on climate activists who blocked traffic in Zurich in 2021, SRF reported. The court rejected their argument that the convictions violated their freedom of expression and assembly.

About 200 Extinction Rebellion activists gathered in central Zurich in autumn 2021 with banners and flags. Around midday, they sat on Uraniastrasse, a central city street, and blocked traffic.

Police repeatedly ordered the protesters to clear the road, but they refused. Officers began removing them after about an hour and a half. Some participants were later convicted of coercion and given suspended fines.

In a series of rulings published on Wednesday, the court said the penalties were justified. It stressed that freedom of expression was highly important and that authorities had to show a degree of tolerance even towards unauthorised gatherings. However, it said the protesters had exceeded acceptable limits by ignoring several police orders and maintaining the blockade for 90 minutes.

The disruption caused traffic jams on the busy road, forcing numerous motorists to take longer routes. The rulings indicate that protests may be disruptive and inconvenient, but their scale and duration, as well as the impact on uninvolved people’s daily lives, are also decisive.