Politics · Switzerland · 10 hrs ago
Zurich SVP faction distances itself from councilor over discriminatory remarks
After unrest at Hardplatz in Zurich, SVP cantonal councilor Christoph Marty criticised police for making no arrests and made sexist and homophobic comments about the force.
The Zurich city council’s SVP faction distanced itself from Marty, saying it supports police officers regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
The violence followed police efforts to break up an illegal party on the night of October 11.
Officers were attacked with fireworks, stones and bottles; one officer was injured and several police vehicles were badly damaged.
Zurich’s security chief said arrests during the incident were not realistic and that the investigation is ongoing.
She asked anyone with photos or video to provide them to police, while another political group called for criminal proceedings against Marty over a possible breach of the ban on discrimination.
The Zurich SVP group on the city council distanced itself from party colleague and cantonal councilor Christoph Marty over sexist and homophobic remarks.
Marty had criticized city police on Facebook after riots at Hardplatz, suggesting the force had too many women and gay officers.
The remarks followed an illegal party that ended in violence on the night of October 11.
Police officers were attacked, one was injured and several police vehicles were badly damaged.
The Alternative List called for criminal proceedings against Marty over a possible breach of the ban on discrimination.
- Who
- Zurich SVP city council group and cantonal councilor Christoph Marty.
- What
- The group distanced itself from Marty's sexist and homophobic remarks about the police.
- When
- The group made its statement on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Zurich, Switzerland; the remarks concerned the city police and riots at Hardplatz.
- Why
- Marty criticized police after no rioters were arrested following the violence at Hardplatz.
Zurich SVP city council group
Christoph Marty
Police and officers' gender or sexual orientation
Zurich SVP city council group
The group said it stood by police regardless of officers' gender or sexual orientation.
Christoph Marty
Marty suggested the police force had too many women and gay officers.
Response to the Hardplatz riots
Zurich SVP city council group
The group vehemently distanced itself from Marty's remarks.
Christoph Marty
Marty criticized police because no rioters had been arrested after the riots.
The dispersal of an illegal party at Hardplatz ended in violence, with officers attacked and one police officer injured.
Marty criticized the city police on Facebook because no rioters had been arrested.
The Zurich SVP city council group distanced itself from Marty's remarks at the start of a council meeting.
- Party colleague
- Christoph Marty
- Location of riots
- Hardplatz, Zurich
- Date of riots
- Night of October 11
- Injured police officers
- 1
- Damaged police vehicles
- Several were badly damaged
- Call for proceedings
- Moritz Bögli of the Alternative List called for criminal proceedings against Marty
What people are saying
The city council group vehemently distances itself from these remarks
The SVP always stands by the police, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the police officers
Too many women and gay men
I therefore hope that criminal proceedings will be initiated against the SVP cantonal councilor