GENEVA, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- A protest involving several hundred people turned violent in Zurich, Switzerland on Saturday night, leading to the arrest of two men, Swiss police said in a statement on Sunday.
The protesters, some wearing masks, protective goggles or Halloween-style outfits, gathered at a square in District 4 of Switzerland's largest city and mingled with partygoers on Saturday night. The protest turned violent as some protesters set fire to rubbish bins, e-bikes and e-scooters at various locations, the statement said.
A car was also set alight, and windows at a public transport stop and several shops were damaged.
Police said they came under repeated attacks from protesters throwing fireworks, bottles and stones, and responded by deploying water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets.
Two young Swiss men carrying weapons were arrested when collecting objects at a construction site suspected to be used as projectiles against police, a separate police statement said.
According to police, a demonstration also took place in Basel on Saturday evening. Around 150 people marched through the city center, disrupting traffic. Demonstrators erected barricades and set them on fire, while isolated incidents of property damage were reported along the route.
According to Swiss media reports, the protests in Zurich and Basel were held under the slogan "We've had enough -- in Switzerland too," with demonstrators drawing parallels with youth protests in France and other European countries. ■
