Swiss. Geneva prohibits symbols of hate, especially Nazism, in public places

A large majority of Geneva residents agreed on Sunday to ban symbols of hate, especially Nazi symbols, in public places, according to official results based on almost all votes counted.
The Canton of Geneva was the only one to vote on this draft law.

According to official results, about 85% of Geneva's population agreed on Sunday to ban the “display” or “wearing” of such symbols in public places. “What a referendum, almost 85% of our citizens voted for a constitutional law against hate symbols!” What a victory! » Reaction of the Secretary-General for Inter-Community Coordination Against Anti-Semitism and Defamation (CICAD), Johan Gurfinkel.

First canton

Such a ban is already being implemented at the federal level, through a proposal voted on by Swiss lawmakers in April. This requires the government to establish, in a special law, a legal basis governing the prohibition of the public use and dissemination of Nazi symbols or variations of these symbols. The Swiss news agency Keystone indicated that this ban at the federal level, which must be subject to a vote in Parliament, will take time and thus Geneva becomes the first canton to include in its constitution the ban on hate symbols – ATS.

With support from all parties

This amendment was supported by all parties, except for the Center Democratic Union Party (UDC, far right), which is the most important formation within the Federal House of Representatives. However, the bill was introduced by a representative of the SVP whose grandfather was deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp. But the United Democratic Union finally called for a “no” vote on Sunday, saying it was impossible to draw up a list of banned symbols.