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Swiss House of Representatives urges ban on extremist and racist symbols

Picture of a person's jacket with symbol of ban of a swastika
The ban primarily targets Nazi symbols, but it extends beyond that. Keystone / Edi Engeler

The Swiss parliament wants to ban extremist symbols. Following the approval by the Senate, the House of Representatives also approved a motion for a ban on Wednesday.

The ban primarily targets Nazi symbols, but it extends beyond that. However, a swastika ban is a priority for the House of Representatives. 

It approved two parliamentary initiatives with this demand. The concerns raised by the House of Representatives’ Legal Affairs Committee and Social Democrat Angelo Barrile call for a special legal ban on the public use of Nazi symbols. 

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Calls grow to ban Nazi symbols and salutes

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“The committee is in favour of swiftly implementing a ban on National Socialist symbols,” said committee spokesperson Patricia von Falkenstein from the Radical-Liberal Party. “Given the backdrop of increasing anti-Semitism, the demand is urgent”. 

+Banning Nazi salutes in Switzerland deemed legally complicated

At the end of October, the Senate came out in favour of a more comprehensive ban on extremist symbols and adopted a motion from its Legal Affairs Committee to this effect. This motion has now been referred to the government. 

Translated from German by DeepL/sp

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