There were 572 recorded cases of racial discrimination in Switzerland in 2020, according to figures released on Sunday. The coronavirus pandemic has shifted incidents closer to home. The highest number of cases - 95 - were at the workplace, said the Federal Commission against Racism (FCR) in its report, which is based on incidents registered by the country’s 21 racism counselling centres. Examples were when somebody was humiliated, subject to disrespectful remarks or unequal treatment at the hands of management. There were 72 incidents in neighbourhoods. “The restrictions on public life due to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic have shifted the incidents of discrimination to the private sphere, especially to neigbourhoods,” said a FCR statement. Here it gave the example of a refugee family, who had just moved into a flat, being harassed by a neighbour. The report has updated its methodology for collating cases, meaning that it was not possible to compare the 2020 results to those of...
