On Thursday, June 19, the March for Life was scheduled to take place in St. Gallen. A few days before the event, the police informed the organizers that the permit for the march had been withdrawn due to security concerns. “We do not have enough personnel to ensure your protection,” they said.
The organizers then issued a press release to the media throughout Switzerland, questioning whether it was really the right decision to cancel a peaceful event that had been held for nine years in a row—and was now not allowed to take place due to a potential threat related to the situation in the Middle East.
Subsequently, numerous Swiss media outlets reported on the incident, supporting the March for Life in St. Gallen and criticizing the police for their decision. Even parliamentarians sent letters of support to the organizers.
Finally, organizer David van Haaften and his team held a gathering for Israel at the original starting point of the march. This was approved at short notice. Plans are now being made for a new date for the March for Life in St. Gallen.
Here’s a list of media reports (German):
Audiatur Online:
https://www.audiatur-online.ch/2025/06/19/st-gallen-sagt-israel-marsch-ab-sicherheitsbedenken-oder-politisches-versagen/
SRF (Video-Reportage):
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/schweiz-aktuell/video/schweiz-aktuell-vom-19-06-2025?urn=urn:srf:video:e2a4807c-2a5e-47df-9e9d-13c5f90d8d2a
Polizei-News:
https://polizei.news/2025/06/19/stadt-st-gallen-marsch-des-lebens-fuer-israel-findet-als-kundgebung-statt/
St.Gallen24:
https://stgallen24.ch/articles/324662-marsch-des-lebens-fuer-israel-demo-findet-nicht-statt
