logoalt Hacker News

regentbowerbird • yesterday at 6:05 PM • 2 replies • view on HN

In Geneva, activists painted bike lanes in three streets in 2023, causing about 2000 swiss francs in damages (or improvements, depending on your view).

The Swiss police under prosecutor Walther Cimino proceeded to investigate as if they were a crime syndicate, gathering forensics but also identifying 96 sympathizers and putting them under heavy surveillance, which included requesting total records from their banks, employers, phone companies, email providers (Google through the US DoJ), and even CCTV and purchases from their local supermarket.

I'm afraid of the possibility that what used to be "grassroots civil disobedience" will now be labeled "eco-terrorism" and prosecuted accordingly.


Replies

tough • yesterday at 6:08 PM

Someone's eco-terrorist is someone else's eco-freedom fighter

➕ show 1 reply
qs1ykyusPlate • today at 8:45 AM

so much wasted money that could have been used to fix the road instead. But proving whatever point they had was better in their minds

➕ show 1 reply