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Jewish groups report increase in anti-Semitism during pandemic

Door to synagogue with Star of David and Menora in Zurich
The report says that the number of physical and verbal incidents remained relatively low but there was a sharp increase in anti-Semitic online incidents in Switzerland last year. The pandemic was a main trigger according to the authors. © Keystone/Christian Beutler

Jewish organisations in Switzerland have expressed renewed concern about tensions in society fuelling anti-Semitism.

In a report published on Tuesday by the Swiss Federation of Jewish CommunitiesExternal link and the Foundation against Racism and Anti-SemitismExternal link, the authors note a significant increase in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is evident from the anti-Semitic incidents observed and in particular the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories which continue to be propagated by anti-Covid protestors,” the report said.

Attacks on synagogues in Geneva, Lausanne and Biel/Bienne last year “are a warning that words have consequences”, the authors said.

The report lists 53 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021 in the German-, Italian- and Romansh-speaking regions of the country.

Calls for more education and dialogue

It’s not the first time that concerns have been expressed about an increase in anti-Semitism in Switzerland in recent years.

In December 2020 the Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism said more education and dialogue was needed to combat a surge in anti-Semitic sentiment during the Covid pandemic.

Similar fears were raised by Jewish communities and by a government advisory commission a year ago.

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