Date: 1 May 2006

We'd never been into Zurich during May Day before and decided to take the chance this year. Word on the street had it that there would be trouble this year. The Böögg had already been stolen from a garage in Stafa before Sechselauten - rumour had it that miltants want it for the explosives it contained.

We took the tram down to the Hauptbahnhof and from there to Stauffacher from where we walked to Helvetiaplatz. When we arrived a band was playing - in the style of Tina Tuner and their succesor covered Prince, including Purple Rain.

While the parade passed off peacefully the clashes, it seems, were the worst for some years in Zurich. When we arrived the Stadtpolizei began to charge one corner of the Square. From our vantage point in Helvetiaplatz, the use of Tear Gas and rubber bullets in an adjoining street bacame apparent with a large increase in noise levels and a rush of people from the adjoining street into the square iteself. We made our way towards the trouble where it became quite clear that left-wing miltants were hurling abuse at the police.

During the day, my efforts to gain pictures of the situation took me both behind and in front of police lines. While being in front police lines was much more adrenelin-pumping than being behind them, the tension on either side was palpable.

In areas, militant demonstrators (who had clearly come prepared) began to hurl bricks and other unstoppables at breakable windows. The City Police were quick and firm to react, specifically targetting those who were destroying property. Water-canons were used to remove militants from building walls while rubber bullets were used to disperse the crowd - who were more than happy to run from solid rubber and tear-gas.

While some have criticised the City Police for not stepping in earlier (source: SwissInfo.org - link below), we are firmly of the belief that the police acted solidly and firmly in controlling a situation that may have become much worse. Yes, we were witness to destruction of property the police were quick to deploy watercannons to ensure that any damage to property was controlled and kept to a minimum. As we left the Kantonspolizei relieved the City Police and embarked on dispersing the crowds, although this would not be complete until around 21:00.

What annoyed me most about this demonstration was the willing destruction of property without apparent motivation. A demonstrator waved his flag of the Soviet Union throughout the demo - in apparent support of a Communist-style of government. Had he known the death and destruction wreaked by Soviet Governments, I doubt he would be waving that flag with such pride.

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