Young whip-crackers claim they were assaulted

Two youths, aged 15 and 16, were allegedly assaulted in Holzhäusern on Friday evening by an elderly man.
 
According to the two youngsters, they were practising cracking whips on a car park in the municipality. This was no doubt in preparation for the local customs at this time of the year in which the use of whips is all part of the local tradition.
 
They said that it was around 9.20 pm that evening that an elderly man suddenly drew up in a dark Range Rover alongside them, remonstrated with them and told them to stop practising with the whips. When they refused so to do, the man grabbed the younger boy by the arm and wrenched the whip from him. He then began to try and beat the boys before getting in to his vehicle again and driving off in the direction of Rotkreuz.
 
The Zug Police had initially issued an appeal to the public to help identify the man. As described by the boys, he was around 60 years old, partially bald, between 180 and 190 cm tall and spoke Swiss-German. At the time of the incident he was wearing a dark pullover and brown shoes.
 
Yesterday evening the man in question voluntarily reported to the police and said that the boys' account of what happened was not true. The matter remains under police investigation.
 
It has also since become apparent that the boys were indeed practising for a tradition which is to be enacted as part of a procession complete with clanging bells in Rotkreuz at 7.30 pm on Saturday 6 December. The use of whips is this way is an old custom dating back to pre-Christian times and was supposed to dispel evil spirits.
 
The chairman of the association planning the procession, Pirmin Achermann, confirmed the two boys in question were members. He recognised that not everyone appreciates the re-enactment of such ancient practices but called for common sense to prevail in this instance. "We do recommend that whip-cracking should not take place after 8 pm," he said.

The second photograph is for illustrative purposes only.