https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Switzerland is to set a national strategy to tackle racism and anti-Semitism with scores of politicians and activist groups meeting this week to thrash out a plan. It comes as incidents of both crimes continue to rise. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250828/switzerland-to-new-plan-as-reports-of-racism-and-anti-semitism-rise Thu, 28 Aug 2025 18:31:12 +0200 switzerland-to-new-plan-as-reports-of-racism-and-anti-semitism-rise Switzerland saw a sharp increase in racist and xenophobic incidents in 2024, with the biggest hike seen in attacks on Muslims and Arabs, official statistics showed on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250427/switzerland-saw-spike-in-racist-xenophobic-incidents-in-2024 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 16:28:43 +0200 switzerland-saw-spike-in-racist-xenophobic-incidents-in-2024 We asked our readers in Switzerland if they had experienced any form of racism or xenophobia living in the country. Here's what you had to say. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240209/i-took-my-photo-off-my-cv-foreigners-in-switzerland-recount-experiences-of-racism Fri, 09 Feb 2024 15:52:37 +0100 i-took-my-photo-off-my-cv-foreigners-in-switzerland-recount-experiences-of-racism Switzerland’s Federal Commission against Racism (EKR) announced this week that the number incidents of racism reported to it rose by almost a quarter in 2023. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240429/why-are-racist-incidents-on-the-rise-in-switzerland Mon, 29 Apr 2024 14:22:41 +0200 why-are-racist-incidents-on-the-rise-in-switzerland Swiss lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favour of banning the display of extremist and racist symbols, starting with those of a Nazi nature. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240418/swiss-parliament-wants-ban-on-extremist-symbols Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:50:59 +0200 swiss-parliament-wants-ban-on-extremist-symbols Swiss police on Monday said they had launched an investigation after reports that a ski station in the Alpine resort of Davos was refusing to rent sports equipment to Jewish people. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240213/swiss-police-probe-anti-semitic-discrimination-at-davos-ski-station Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:55:51 +0100 swiss-police-probe-anti-semitic-discrimination-at-davos-ski-station As a foreigner living in Switzerland are you likely to experience some form of racism or xenophobia? New stats suggest many will. Tell us if you have in the survey at the bottom of the page. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240202/are-foreigners-in-switzerland-likely-to-experience-some-form-of-racism Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:06:27 +0100 are-foreigners-in-switzerland-likely-to-experience-some-form-of-racism Despite a UN human rights group having accused Switzerland of being home to racist attitudes in the past, the country has never officially acknowledged it — until now. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230418/switzerland-acknowledges-systemic-racism-in-the-country Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:24:47 +0200 switzerland-acknowledges-systemic-racism-in-the-country It is still legal to display Nazi symbols in Switzerland but there are moves that could finally change the law and bring the country into line with its neighbours. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230127/swiss-move-to-ban-nazi-symbols Fri, 27 Jan 2023 10:18:28 +0100 swiss-move-to-ban-nazi-symbols A court ruled that a yodeller in the Swiss canton of Appenzell who performed in a black wig and painted black face is not racist. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230123/swiss-yodeller-cleared-of-racism-over-black-face-performance Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:24:02 +0100 swiss-yodeller-cleared-of-racism-over-black-face-performance The municipal council of Switzerland’s largest city has voted in a proposal aimed at reducing racial profiling by police. https://www.thelocal.ch/20221111/explained-how-zurich-aims-to-prevent-racial-profiling Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:28:46 +0100 explained-how-zurich-aims-to-prevent-racial-profiling A Swiss town on Wednesday refused to rename the Agassizhorn mountain despite its namesake's espousal of racist views. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200709/swiss-town-sticks-with-peaks-name-despite-racist-ties Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:51:25 +0200 swiss-town-sticks-with-peaks-name-despite-racist-ties George Floyd's shocking death in police custody in the US has sparked belated soul-searching in Switzerland over the death of a Nigerian man two years ago in Lausanne in similar circumstances. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200616/switzerland-grapples-with-its-own-george-floyd-case Tue, 16 Jun 2020 11:18:54 +0200 switzerland-grapples-with-its-own-george-floyd-case Protesters in Geneva and Lausanne took to the streets in a series of anti-racism demonstrations prompted by the death of US man George Floyd. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200610/in-pictures-4 Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:01:46 +0200 in-pictures-4 People who are not of Swiss origin, including those of EU backgrounds, have less chances of getting a job or an apartment, a new study has shown. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191029/swiss-employers-and-landlords-discriminate-against-naturalised-citizens Tue, 29 Oct 2019 14:41:38 +0100 swiss-employers-and-landlords-discriminate-against-naturalised-citizens The Local contributor Alyssa James shares the experiences of people of colour in Switzerland and investigates how racism and xenophobia intersect in Swiss society. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191029/racism-in-switzerland-people-of-colour-are-automatically-perceived-as-foreigners Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:26:28 +0100 racism-in-switzerland-people-of-colour-are-automatically-perceived-as-foreigners A resident of the Swiss canton of Bern has been handed a conditional fine of 2,000 Swiss francs (€1,820) over a video in which he filmed himself racially abusing a Kenyan man. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190911/swiss-man-fined-2000-francs-for-filming-racist-video Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:33:26 +0200 swiss-man-fined-2000-francs-for-filming-racist-video Young people in Switzerland are far more likely to feel discriminated against than five years ago, a new government report reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190903/racism-young-people-in-switzerland-feel-increasingly-discriminated-against Tue, 03 Sep 2019 11:13:46 +0200 racism-young-people-in-switzerland-feel-increasingly-discriminated-against An online job listing seeking a 'Swiss' driver has caused outrage among members of Switzerland's migrant community. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190418/we-eat-pork-swiss-companys-job-listing-for-a-driver-accused-of-discrimination Thu, 18 Apr 2019 18:06:46 +0200 we-eat-pork-swiss-companys-job-listing-for-a-driver-accused-of-discrimination Swiss police are investigating after a video emerged of people wearing hooded costumes resembling those worn by the white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan during carnival celebrations earlier this week. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190306/swiss-police-to-investigate-kkk-carnival-costumes-fasnacht-racism Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:47:49 +0100 swiss-police-to-investigate-kkk-carnival-costumes-fasnacht-racism