Street art created by female artists to commemorate the Women's European Championship in Bern is set for removal, sparking controversy over gender equality in public art preservation. While the men's Euro 2008 is still honored with a permanent bridge sign, the colorful street paintings celebrating women's soccer are scheduled to be pressure-washed away at the end of September.

As part of the Women's Euro celebration, female artists painted sidewalks and traffic circles at six different locations throughout Bern, with the goal of temporarily enhancing public spaces while making young women and girls more visible. The project cost the city of Bern a total of 45,000 Swiss francs and featured vibrant artwork including giant female figures near Bierhübeli, colorful designs at Viktoriaplatz where residents could participate in painting the asphalt, street murals on Waldmannstrasse in Bern-Bethlehem, soccer-playing women on sidewalks near Lorraine Bridge, and messages about equality on streets and playing fields beneath Kirchenfeld Bridge.

Public response to the temporary street art has been overwhelmingly positive. A female passerby at Viktoriaplatz commented that "the square is beautiful and lively, not so gray," adding that "it brightens the mood." A male resident expressed enthusiasm for the street space revitalization, calling it "perfect." The Women's Euro generated unprecedented excitement in Bern, with 25,000 national team fans participating in a record fan march through the city and over 500,000 people visiting fan zones during the tournament.

The planned removal has drawn sharp criticism from Women's Euro promoter Aline Trede, a Green Party parliamentarian, who argues that the artworks embody the spirit of the tournament: "The artworks are colorful, joyful, from the region. Exactly how we experienced the Women's Euro here." She advocates for permanent commemoration similar to the men's tournament, proposing a plaque on Nydegge Bridge to commemorate the record fan marches, mirroring the "Korenhuisbrug" sign that still honors Dutch fans from the 2008 men's Euro when former Bern mayor Alexander Tschäppät renamed Kornhaus Bridge and installed an orange street sign.

Andreas Abebe, president of the North Quarter District Commission, strongly supports preserving the street paintings in his neighborhood, stating that "the Women's Euro was ultimately more important to us than the men's Euro." He views the street art as a piece of commemorative culture, emphasizing that neighborhood improvements are always welcome, especially when they carry deeper meaning. Most randomly surveyed pedestrians share this sentiment, with one noting it's "unnecessary to remove them" since "the paintings will fade naturally over time."

The city administration has left the door open for reconsideration. Claudia Luder, head of the Public Space Competence Center, acknowledges the impact: "We are also overwhelmed by what happened in Bern regarding women's soccer and how public space was perceived. You can always talk to us." The administration indicates it would reconsider if it hears about alternative needs or public interest in preservation.

Meanwhile, Basel faces different challenges with its Euro art installations, where five large soccer balls on Middle Bridge have proven more difficult to remove than expected. Despite intensive cleaning efforts, dark adhesive stains remain on the bridge, with removal costs reaching several thousand francs as the plastic films adhere more strongly than anticipated. The contrast between Basel's cleanup problems and Bern's deliberate removal plans highlights different approaches to temporary tournament art across Swiss cities.