Switzerland: Chinese national stabs children in Zurich, 1 boy seriously wounded

A stabbing attack on children heading to a Zurich daycare centre on Tuesday left one boy seriously wounded and two others injured, said police who detained a Chinese national.

The three children hurt in the attack were treated by paramedics and taken to hospital.

The attack happened around midday on Berninastrasse, a largely residential street in the Oerlikon district in the north of Switzerland's biggest city.

"According to initial findings, a daycare worker was on her way to a daycare centre with several children when a man suddenly attacked the children with a blade," Zurich police said in a statement.

"The daycare worker reacted immediately and overpowered the attacker with the help of a man, and held the suspected perpetrator until the emergency services arrived."

Police said a 23-year-old Chinese man was arrested and taken to a police station.

"One seriously wounded boy and two moderately injured boys aged five were given first aid" by emergency services "and then taken to hospital", the statement said.

Forensic specialists were called in and further investigations are being carried out by police, while police psychologists and a care team were deployed to look after those affected.

No other people were injured, police spokesman Pascal Siegenthaler told AFP.

Suspect being questioned

The father of a child at the daycare told the newspaper Blick: "I don't know if my son is okay! The police sent me away again.

"I don't know where my son is, they just told me he wasn't hurt, but I can't see him."

A witness told local television station TeleZuri that they "heard children screaming, then a lot of police officers arrived".

Stabbings are an extremely rare occurrence in Switzerland, even more so when involving children.

The attack took place in a quiet, tree-lined residential area, close to a migration office handling foreign nationals' residency permits.

Several police vehicles were at the scene, while armed officers stood guard behind the cordon.

The suspect "is being questioned", police spokeswoman Judith Hohle told reporters outside the daycare centre.

"We cannot provide any details yet on the motives," she added.

Within hours of the attack and with the police investigation still ongoing, the hard-right Swiss People's Party, Switzerland's biggest political party, posted on social media about the attack.

"If you have had enough of imported crime and asylum abuse, sign the petition to protect the borders," it said on X, accompanied by a picture of two hands, one holding a knife.