Defining Political Dissidence: The Swiss Debate on the Riots of 1980–81

Abstract

During the nights of 30 and 31 May 1980, as citizens of Zurich protested against the cultural policy of the municipal government, the city’s tranquil atmosphere was shattered to the core.¹ Starting from a fundamental disagreement over recent decisions and ending in profound discomfort with the state of Swiss society, the so-called Opernhauskrawall (Opera House Riots) became the focal point of what troubled many people in the early 1980s.² The concrete problem at issue was disappointment among the population of Zurich. In 1977, the city council had decided to establish an independent cultural centre at the Rote Fabrik in Wollishofen, where concerts, exhibitions and performances could take place.³ This centre was supposed to be run by youth, themselves. In 1980, the Zurich public became aware that the local opera house, one of the principal cultural institutions in Europe, had rented the Rote Fabrik as a space for its storage needs. At the same time, the council approved a 60-million CHF funding scheme for the renovation of the opera house, which is located in the city’s central district. Together, these two episodes caused anger among those who had hoped for an independent sphere of activity at the Rote Fabrik.⁴ On the eve of a public referendum on funding, the protests escalated into prolonged violent confrontations with the police.⁵