Anti-WEF Demo In Zurich Turns Violent

The demonstration with the slogan“Trump still not welcome!” set off from the Stadthausanlage shortly before 7 pm and continued through districts 1 and 4 to Helvetiaplatz, where some of the participants arrived at around 8:30 pm.

According to the police, firecrackers, smoke petards and other fireworks were repeatedly set off along the way. According to the statement, there was also spray-painting along the route, paint bags were thrown at facades and shop windows were smashed on the corner of Bahnhofstrasse and Uraniastrasse. The amount of property damage is still unknown.

Another part of the demonstrators, including members of the so-called black bloc, did not make their way to Helvetiaplatz after the end of the authorised demonstration, but instead formed an unauthorised post-demonstration in the area of Militärstrasse and Kasernenstrasse. After a blockade set up there was initially tolerated, the police broke it up shortly after 9:30 pm with a water cannon. Subsequently, police officers were pelted with stones and fireworks. The police used chemical irritants and rubber bullets.

This content was published on Jan 19, 2026 As the weeklong annual meeting of the WEF starts in Davos, an explainer on what everyone will be talking about.