Winterthur district court sentences two FC Zurich fans following assault on GC supporters in Rickenbach
Two FC Zurich fans receive suspended custodial sentences following the attack on GC supporters in Rickenbach in October 2024. Verdicts not yet final.
Suspended sentences following Rickenbach assault – court largely follows prosecution
As reported by Google News CH — Crime (de), Winterthur district court on Thursday sentenced two FC Zurich supporters to suspended custodial sentences. The two men, aged 28 and 37, stood trial for the assault on GC fans in Rickenbach, which took place on 16 October 2024.
The court sentenced the 28-year-old to a suspended custodial sentence of 22 months with a probation period of five years and a fine of 180 times 50 francs. The court found the 37-year-old guilty of a suspended custodial sentence of 20 months and a suspended fine of 180 times 50 francs, each with a four-year probation period. The custodial sentences were imposed for robbery and breach of the peace, the fines for property damage and trespass.
DNA trace on Ricola packet and mobile phone data as key evidence
A DNA trace on a Ricola packet convicted the 28-year-old, the judge explained at the verdict hearing. No other DNA was found on it, and the packet had clearly only come to be there during the attack. Both defendants had switched off their mobile phones around the time of the offence. One device was switched back on in Ossingen — close to the scene of the crime — and the other on the A1 motorway north of Zurich. Furthermore, a visual expert assessment showed that the 37-year-old was also at the scene: police found him wearing clothing in the same combination as a person acting as lookout at the gymnasium entrance.
Up to 60 FC Zurich supporters stormed the gymnasium
Up to 60 FC Zurich supporters entered a gymnasium in Rickenbach on the evening of 16 October 2024, apparently after learning that GC fans were working on their choreography there. The nine GC supporters present fled, and the attackers beat one of them. To a resident who confronted the intruders, they sprayed pepper spray in the face. The group then fled in 15 to 20 vehicles. The stolen banner appeared a few days later in Zurich's South Stand, where it was presented to mock the opponents. The assault was carried out "without regard for collateral damage", the judge said. "The door was smashed in with a hammer without hesitation."
Defence counsels fail with acquittal demands
The defence counsel for the younger defendant had downplayed the extent of the attack: the injuries to the GC supporter were unclear, the witness statements were inadmissible, and whether the banner was taken by force remained open. The court rejected these objections. The injuries were substantiated by witness statements, and the purpose of the break-in — the theft of the banner — was self-evident. Both defendants had prior police records and each had two previous convictions. For the 28-year-old, the judge took into account that the last conviction was six years ago — hence the maximum probation period and the fine to be paid. "You are making genuine efforts towards a better life", the judge said. The man is engaged and according to his own account has made a good start in his professional life. The 37-year-old remained largely silent during the trial; in his closing statement he criticised the authorities for their conduct towards the football fan scene.
The court thereby largely followed the prosecution. The latter had sought an unconditional custodial sentence of 22 months for the 28-year-old, as well as a suspended custodial sentence of 20 months and a joint fine of 10,000 francs for the 37-year-old. Both verdicts are not yet final and can be appealed to the higher court.
Task Force Sport established following Rickenbach — and subsequently dissolved
The incident in Rickenbach prompted the security directorate to establish a Task Force Sport at the cantonal police. In July 2025 it was dissolved. During its period of operation, it resulted in 38 arrests. Of 48 incidents dealt with, 30 were attributed to FC Zurich supporters; there were also incidents involving ice hockey fans. The investigation into the Rickenbach case involved three months of surveillance of the suspects. In parallel, police increased their presence at railway stations and transport hubs around match days and repeatedly seized weapons and combat equipment.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)