Antisemitic incidents in Switzerland have risen dramatically, with a 42.5% increase from 2023 to 2024, according to a comprehensive report released by the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG). The study highlights a sharp and sustained rise in antisemitism, particularly following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which significantly escalated tensions for Jews in Switzerland, reports The Jerusalem Post.
In 2024, 221 antisemitic incidents were recorded in the German, Italian, and Romansh-speaking regions, compared to 155 incidents in 2023 and just 57 in 2022—a 287% increase over two years. While the initial post-October 7 spike subsided, the monthly average remained much higher than in previous years.
The Zurich stabbing of a 50-year-old Orthodox Jew by a 15-year-old ISIS sympathiser in March 2023 was among the eleven physical attacks recorded in 2024. Other assaults included attacks in Davos and Zurich, some involving slapping, spitting, and violent threats such as “Free Palestine” and “You f***ing Jews, they should burn you all.”
The majority of incidents were antisemitic comments and verbal abuse, which more than doubled from previous years. Disturbing remarks included claims that “Hitler should have won the war” and that “the Nazis didn’t do everything wrong.” In Basel, a Jewish woman wearing a Star of David necklace was told, “Hitler should have finished his job.”
The SIG also documented a rare rise in property damage, including an attempted arson attack on a synagogue and graffiti with anti-Israel slogans and Nazi symbols.
For the first time, SIG tracked antisemitic online activity, recording 1,596 antisemitic posts, particularly on Telegram, TikTok, and X. While 45% of incidents were tied to the Israel-Hamas war, many expressed longstanding antisemitic conspiracy theories.
According to a survey by Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and Haute école de travail social Fribourg (HETS-FR), 46.9% of Swiss Jews experienced antisemitism in the past month, up from 31.3% in 2020. Additionally, 32% avoided wearing visible Jewish symbols, and 28% considered leaving the country due to antisemitism. The study also noted a significant decline in life satisfaction and an increase in poor mental health.
Although the Federal Council introduced legislation banning Nazi symbols and declared Hamas a terrorist organisation in December 2023, SIG said more must be done.
SIG and its partners urged the government to:
Develop a national action plan on antisemitism and racism
Improve recording mechanisms for antisemitic incidents
Launch awareness campaigns
Integrate Holocaust education and the history of antisemitism into school curriculums.
The Jewish community expressed deep concern that 67.8% of survey respondents do not believe Swiss authorities are effectively combating antisemitism, warning that current measures are inadequate to address the growing threat.
Photo credit:REUTERS/DENIS BALIBOUSE
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