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Austria Now News – Thun, Switzerland
New information points to a possible political background to the fire that caused severe damage on the night of Thursday, 29 October, at the headquarters of Swiss arms manufacturer Brügger & Thomet, known as B&T, in the city of Thun. A video claiming responsibility for the attack is circulating online, according to the Austrian newspaper Heute.
The damage is estimated at between 12 and 20 million Swiss francs, or around 13 to 22 million euros. No one was injured. Police believe the fire was deliberately set and are appealing for witnesses.
Police examining authenticity of video
The video links the attack to the recent violent youth protests in France. It first shows clashes between protesters and police there, followed by footage of masked people throwing an incendiary device onto the company’s site, from where the fire is said to have spread to the building. It also features slogans referring to Gen Z in Switzerland, France and Germany, and to the weapon name GL06.
Suspicion is falling on far-left circles, but who is behind the attack remains unknown. Swiss police are examining the authenticity of the video, and there has so far been no official statement on those responsible. The French website Contre Attaque, which is close to radical protest circles, published the video and welcomed the attack.
Rubber bullet launcher at the centre of the debate
Among other products, B&T manufactures the GL06 rubber bullet launcher, known in France as the LBD 40, which police use at violent demonstrations. Rubber bullets can cause serious injuries, and Heute reported that at least 8 protesters lost an eye during the recent protests in French cities.
Company owner Karl Brügger defended his products in comments to the Swiss newspaper Blick, saying France does not use the appropriate ammunition, as French police obtain their projectiles from the French company Alsetex rather than from B&T. The company’s weapons are also used in Switzerland, where they fire single projectiles considered less dangerous, though they can still cause serious injuries if used incorrectly.
Swiss intelligence warns
According to the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service, a total of 215 far-left motivated incidents were recorded in 2025, 63 of them violent. Authorities are particularly concerned about the growing willingness of extremist groups to use violence to achieve political goals, and about their links to groups in Germany and France.
Austria Now News – keeping you up to date.
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Sources
- Heute – Stellt Gummigeschosswerfer her: Linksextreme feiern Brandanschlag auf Polizeiausrüster – 02.11.2026 – https://www.heute.at/s/linksextreme-feiern-brandanschlag-auf-polizeiausruester-120275608
