Those who flaunt Nazi symbols in Switzerland have nothing to fear under criminal law – for now.
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Listening: Nazi hikers questioned by Swiss police
A group of around 25 men wearing uniforms of the Wehrmacht – the army of Nazi Germany – crossed the Wildhorn massif on Saturday and were questioned by Bern cantonal police.
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Keystone-SDA
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Polizei kontrolliert Männer in Nazi-Uniformen im Berner Oberland
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The police had already received information on Friday, Deborah Zaugg, spokeswoman for Bern cantonal police, told Swiss public radio, SRF.
“The group consisted of around 25 people from various European countries and the United States,” Zaugg said. The police instructed them to take off their jackets with Nazi symbols in order to avoid possible clashes with third parties.
There were no consequences under criminal law, as the wearing of Nazi symbols is currently not prohibited in Switzerland, she said. However, the police did take down their personal details.
A majority of Swiss parties, cantons and associations want to ban the use and distribution of Nazi symbols in public. The corresponding consultation on a special law by the government was concluded in March. Anyone who violates this in future will be fined CHF200 ($250).
The government wants to ban not only swastikas, Hitler salutes and SS runes but also numerical codes such as “18” and “88”, which could be read as “Adolf Hitler” or “Heil Hitler”. The context should decide when such symbols are punishable.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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