City police used rubber bullets eleven times in twelve months

For the first time, the city police have disclosed when and how much rubber shot they fired: eleven operations between September 2025 and August 2026, with no known injuries.

City executive (Stadtrat) Whole city Safety

Since 1 September 2025 the Zurich city police (Stadtpolizei) have recorded every use of rubber shot (Gummischrot). The order came from Karin Rykart, the member of the city executive (Stadtrat) who heads the security department, so that the controversial weapon can be debated on the basis of facts; according to the city, members of the city parliament (Gemeinderat) have repeatedly raised the issue. The police say they are the first force in Switzerland to publish these figures.

From 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 they used rubber shot in eleven operations. The police know of no one injured. One packet contains 35 rubber pellets.

DateOccasionPackets
12.09.2025Attempted occupation of Platzspitz33
13/14.09.2025Attempted occupation of Kasernenareal55
20.09.2025Counter-demonstration to «Marsch fürs Läbe»1
16.10.2025Fight with a knife in Kreis 41
19.01.2026Unauthorised follow-up demo «Trump still not welcome»18
25.01.2026League match FCZ–FCB2
07.03.2026Unauthorised demo, International Women’s Day7
17/18.04.2026Illegal party broken up, Kreis 1010
01.05.2026Unauthorised follow-up demo, 1 May18
02/03.05.2026Unauthorised follow-up demo, 1 May31
24.05.2026Illegal party broken up, Kasernenareal26

Why the police keep using it

According to the city, rubber shot keeps violent groups at a distance, for example during football riots or violent demonstrations. It is used only when dialogue, de-escalation or milder means such as water cannon are not possible or do not work. The aim is to reduce its use further, but giving it up is not possible at present: the risk of injury on both sides would rise.

The figures cannot be compared with earlier years, because rubber shot was not recorded in a standard way before.

Primary sources