Jewish groups report increase in anti-Semitism during pandemic

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.