They are clearing out the Koch Areal. Seems like a razzia against the Alternative People.

https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/besetztes...ung-ld.1726353

Not a „Dark Day“, just a Paywall

https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/besetze...n-770714349199

Squatters light a bonfire near buildings in the middle of the city, attack the fire brigade when they turn up. Yep, the police caused this.

Are those people frustrated because Jelmoli is closing?

All that money saved in rent has to go somewhere!

Pauljay should go to the Koch Areal and explain them they could spend their money on other useful things, like drugs.

I‘ll bite. So, why do you think this could be „a dark day for Zürich“ OP?

It's not some razzia but the long planned end of this. The area is owned by the city and the city told the people there that they have to leave by Wednesday. The Koch areal will finally get knocked down and build up. The squatters do what they always do... go to the next one. But of course does there have to be some fighting with the cops... pretty much for the fun of it. The city of Zurich is more than tolerant to them... so it took a bonfire burning 8 meters high to actually trigger a serious reaction from the cops.

Some caravans already popped up in the Hardturmbrache area. The only difference between Zurich and other cities is that they can manage to stay in one property for a decade here...

I can remember I was still working at UBS when it all started, and UBS owned it back then...they were smart enough to offload it to the city of Zürich, which is probably the reason they were able to stay their so long.

Squatters in Zürich is a whack-a-mole game that has been going on for decades if not more..but they are slowly running out of options.

Because it's an action against Swiss citizens. I'd bet it's really hard to find a foreigner among the squatters. If that were the case, a solution would have been implemented long ago

I dont know, there is still quite some old industrial buildings around and they often get a long window of opportunity because building permissions take so long. The Hardturmbrache, the place they are apparently moving to is the best example: Credit Suisse wanted to knock down the old stadium and replace it with a much more modern concept. Like everything in Zurich was there a vote and the majority was for it... in 2003!!! Six years of protests and court battles with neighbours and activists later... CS decides that it isnt worth the hassle... sells the land to the city and the old stadium gets knocked down and the area is vacant. Second vote in 2013... still a majority for the project, but the planned design was rejected. Replanning and what not around 2015... third vote in 2020 and guess what? People of Zurich still want a new football stadium. But the eco activists still have legal options and pull every single one of them to delay the project. So its been literally over 20 years between the decision to knock down the old stadium and today... where nothing new has been build. Quite influential were certain neighbour communities in the area - very green and left but also wealthy. Lets see how they like their new neighbours camping there...

Impressive display of riot police troops for a bunch of hippies....can't say it raised my interest (or outrage), OP. I'll leave it all to EF...
(the area doesn't look good though and the terrain beneath those buildings is worth a lot of money so be sure any residential developer has put his eyes and money on that "jungle" long time ago.....move along, nothing to see here)

These people also need a place they can call home and not be shuttled everywhere.Reminds me of the youth movement in Zurich back in the 60's.They had to fight for a place.

Homegate.ch

They can go get a job and pay rent / mortgage like the rest of us have to do?

Yes, all those taxes they pay should be put to better use

Hey, are you reading the room?

I'll renew my residence permit next time with an address on a squatting building. It should be a smooth process, right?

Parents on their baby boomer kids: Damn kids run around like they own the place!

Parents on their millenial kids: Damn kids run around like they rent the place!

Parents on their Gen Z kids: Damn kids run around like they occupy the place!

Zurich has a long tradition of liberal policies when dealing with situations like this and people like this.

Although I don't belong in their world and never did - ok I went to the May Day riots near Kaserne once or twice to rubberneck back in the day - I personally find it rather pleasing that the city behaves so, rather than putting a harsh authoritarian stamp on all things.

In a perfect world yes everyone works and pays their taxes so we don't have to get the hump about it. Needless to say we don't live in a perfect world and the principle of pooled contributions functions well enough.

There is and should be a place for leftist alternative thinking and behaviour, even if it belongs towards the fringe of society.

Somehow the way Zurich acts encapsulates both ends of the spectrum of Swissness at it's best.... rule following exactness and libertarianism. It's a good thing.

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krlock3.