LAUSANNE – Seven people have been arrested following a second consecutive night of riots in the Swiss city of Lausanne. The unrest took place in the Prélaz district, the same area where a teenager died on Sunday morning after crashing a stolen scooter while fleeing from police.
Following an initial night of riots on Sunday, the situation escalated again on Monday evening. Just before 10 PM, clashes erupted as youths once again confronted police. Protesters launched fireworks at officers, who responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Approximately 150 to 200 individuals, some wearing balaclavas, erected barricades using burning containers and trash bins. The violence also spread to the nearby Boveresses/Praz-Séchaud neighborhood around 10:50 PM, where other youths set fire to several containers and severely damaged a city bus. According to a statement released early Tuesday morning by the Vaud Canton Police, the situation in the area was quickly brought back under control.
Rioters "Better Prepared"
The police statement highlighted the intensity of the confrontation, noting that officers faced rioters who were more organized than the previous night.
“Once again, faced with aggressive rioters who were better prepared and as determined as the day before, the police had to use coercive measures, including four rubber bullet rounds and 54 tear gas rounds. The canton police’s water cannon was also deployed to disperse the demonstrators. The situation returned to normal shortly after midnight,” the police press release stated. Patrols on the scene were met with “stones, construction barriers, mortars, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks.”
Seven individuals were arrested in connection with the unrest. As of the statement, police have not reported any injuries among their officers or among the protesters.
A Renewed Call for Calm
Firefighting units were dispatched to various locations under police protection to extinguish approximately a dozen fires. The city's public transport authority has announced it will file a criminal complaint for property damage.
The unrest began on Sunday evening when a crowd of about one hundred youths gathered near the site of the 17-year-old’s fatal accident. Calm was eventually restored to the area by 1 AM. Following the second night of violence, police and local authorities have once again issued a call for calm.
