Permission and Politics
The parade has always existed at the city's discretion. In 1994 the police chief Robert Neukomm banned it outright as too big, too loud and too dirty; four Wednesdays of demonstrations outside the Stadthaus reversed the decision, and the parade moved to the lake basin under new conditions. Because it remains legally a demonstration, Zürich carries the security costs — which is what the recurring funding arguments are really about.
Part of Street Parade
4 moments in this segment.
- — Police and spectators along the closed street, 2008. A police officer stands in the empty carriageway while spectators line the balconies and pavement above. Security and medical cover for the parade are provided by the city because the event is still legally a demonstration. The 2008 concept was written specifically to prevent a repeat of the previous year's violence.
- — Security staff in the crowd, Street Parade 2012. A steward in a SECURITY shirt works the barrier line in front of the crowd, shot in black and white. Private security, city police and the ambulance service run a joint concept for the parade, with prevention stands aimed at cutting the health risks. Zurich has consistently reported far fewer medical cases per head than the Berlin Loveparade did.
- — Street cleaning vehicle on the route, 2016. A municipal cleaning truck with a crew in high-visibility vests works its way down the emptied route past the remaining crowd. Clearing begins before the party has finished and continues into the following day. After the 2011 edition the city and private contractors removed around 88 tonnes of waste.
- — The 2024 parade and the mess it leaves. A walking tour through the 2024 Street Parade that also records what the day does to the city: overflowing bins and rubbish across the lakeside as hundreds of thousands of people pass through. A rare look at the clean-up problem behind a free open-air event.
