JAKARTA - As many as 18 policemen and several people were injured after thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets in Bern last weekend. Police called the demonstration invalid.
Protests in the Swiss capital that opposed Israel's war in Gaza turned violent as police tried to limit the movement of demonstrators, throwing objects and bricks.
Swiss national broadcaster SRF reported police use tear gas and water cannons against crowds of up to 5,000 people attending the march.
One person was arrested.
"This behavior forced the police to use coercive measures," said Michael Bettschen, deputy chief of police kantonal Bern, on Sunday.
Such clashes are rare in Switzerland, although pro-Gaza protests on October 2 in Geneva also led to clashes between police and protesters.
More than 50 properties in Bern were damaged, with windows broken and graffiti sprayed onto buildings, police said. The damage is likely to reach millions of Swiss francs, the SRF reported, adding that the demonstration was organized by pro-Palestinian groups from across Switzerland.
Police said the atmosphere was "hot", with some wearing face coverings and chanting slogans.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza entered its third day on Sunday ahead of the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners as well as US President Donald Trump's speech to the Israeli parliament.
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