Police intervene after counterprotesters try to block Zurich March for Life

The March for Life drew 2,200 pro-life demonstrators on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in the Oerlikon district of Zurich. The march has been held every year since 2010. This year's theme was fathers' responsibility in unexpected pregnancies and support for mothers, under the slogan "Together for Life!" The city had authorized the event, but counterprotest groups tried to block the march, and Zurich police intervened.

City police said about 200 masked individuals tried to cut off the route by throwing objects and putting dumpsters in the roadway. Officers used water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse them, and the counterprotesters threw bottles at police. The march completed its route and returned to its starting point with no injuries reported among participants.

Beatrice Gall, president of the March for Life, criticized the Zurich city government for keeping the event out of the city center for the sixth year running. She said the restriction limits freedom of assembly and reduces the event's visibility. Authorities cite security reasons for the measure. The organizers have gone to court, arguing that the city applies a double standard by allowing other demonstrations in the center.

Speaking at the march, Nicolas Kolly, a member of the Swiss National Council and a former member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, called for "giving a voice to those who do not yet have one." He stressed the importance of protecting the unborn child and supporting mothers. Kolly said a father's responsibility is decisive when a pregnancy is unexpected, and he urged men to "support, listen to and protect" their partners.

Jonas Streule, regional head of ProLife Europe in Switzerland, also took part. He described the organization's work at universities and said the pro-life cause needs a more human approach. The Zurich march coincided with other pro-life events in Europe, among them the National March for Life in Bratislava, Slovakia. Estimates put the turnout there at up to 30,000 people. The Slovak bishops backed that march, and Pope Leo XIV sent a greeting.

Gall said there is a climate of silence around abortion in Switzerland and called for public debate on its consequences. Since the 12-week time limit rule took effect in 2002, at least 200,000 abortions have been carried out in the country, a figure that affects more than one million Swiss citizens. Gall called for greater public awareness of the issue and for more discussion of parental responsibility and comprehensive support for mothers.