Switzerland documented a record 352 cases of discrimination in 2019, reflecting an increase in racist acts in public places and attacks spurred by far-right ideologies. Xenophobia was the main driver for racist behavior. Black and Muslim people are the worst affected, with 132 and 55 cases respectively registered by counselling centres in 2019.

The number of cases with a right-wing extremist connotation also rose in 2019. Every tenth attack falls under this category, notes the Blick newspaper in its Sunday edition. “The extreme right-wing scene is on the move,” says the president of the Federal Commission against Racism (EKR) Martine Brunschwig Graf, in remarks quoted by Blick. “This must be taken seriously; we must not underestimate it.”

Only a small number of victims of racism, she notes, seek help from an advice centre. The number of unreported cases is believed to be higher than the number of reported cases.

The 352 figure represents a 27% increase relative to 2018. The government has already published some of its main findings for 2019 but is expected to release a full report on the issue soon. In its 2020 report, the Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) urged Switzerland to boost the capacity of counseling centers for victims of racism.

Source: swissinfo.ch