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Collective Climate Justice block UBS Bank in Basel, Switzerland - decision

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On July 8, 2019, around 120 climate activists occupied the entries to the UBS bank in Basel during “climate action days” organized by “Collective Climate Justice” (between July 2 - July 11, 2019). 4 activists chained themselves to concrete barrels. After around 5 hours, the bank filed a criminal complaint and asked the police to clear the occupation. An hour later, the police asked activists to leave and began clearing the occupation 15 minutes later by kettling the remaining protestors. The police issued 60 penal orders, and subjected 37 people to identification measures (including taking DNA samples), and arrested 40 people who spent up to 2 days in prison. 

The penal orders accused activists of criminal damage (art. 144 Swiss Criminal Code, CC), coercion (art. 181 CC), unlawful entry (art. 186 CC), rioting (art. 260) and transgression of cantonal regulations (art. 16, UeStG BS). The sanctions amounted to 180 daily penalty unites (Tagessätze) with a suspension period of 3 years, plus fines (Busse). At least 5 people filed a rejection of the penal order and appeared in court. Ahead of the trial, UBS withdrew its criminal complaints and reached a settlement with the activists. However, the public prosecutor insisted on proceeding with the trial. 

The court acquitted the defendants (rejecting the main charge of coercion) and the prosecutor did not appeal against the acquittal (due to a lack of appeal, no written judgement was issued). In a separate trial, activists who were subjected to police identification measures (Art. 260 Swiss Criminal Procedure Code, CPC) and non-invasive samples and DNA analysis (Art. 255 CPC) appealed against these measures with the prosecutor who rejected the appeal and subsequently with the court of appeals that also rejected it (Basel-Stadt Appelationsgericht BES.2019.150, March 20, 2020). Activists then appealed to the Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgericht) which accepted the appeal and nullified the police measures of identification and DNA profiling (Bundesgericht 1B_285/2000 - leading case, 1B_286 & 294/2000, 1B_287 & 293/2020, April 22, 2021). [In a parallel case in Zürich where activists occupied a Credit Suisse branch on the same day, they were convicted of coercion and unlawful entry (Arts. 181 and 186 CC) in the first two instances (Obergericht Zürich SB210390, 18.11.2022). The activists appealed to the Federal Supreme Court and await a decision (as of May 7, 2024).] 

Collective Climate Justice block UBS Bank in Basel, Switzerland

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Collective Climate Justice block UBS Bank in Basel, Switzerland - decision

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Fossil fuel

Finance