Zurich District Court repeats trial against right-wing extremist
Published: Friday, Apr 12th 2024, 04:50
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The Zurich District Court has to deal with the case of a 26-year-old student for the second time today, Friday. In 2020, he allegedly attacked a group of FCZ fans and seriously injured an 18-year-old. He also has to answer for making right-wing extremist statements.
The Zurich District Court had actually already sentenced the right-wing extremist to five and a half years' imprisonment for attempted intentional homicide in July 2022.
However, the Zurich High Court overturned the verdict in September 2023 due to serious procedural flaws, which is why the Zurich District Court now has to deal with the case again.
"White Lives Matter"-Shirt
The incident at the center of the trial took place on a Saturday in June 2020. The then 22-year-old student was wearing a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt in Zurich's Sihlcity shopping center. There he encountered a group of eight to ten FCZ fans, some of whom were dark-skinned.
After leaving the shopping center, he met the group again. They did not like the slogan on the T-shirt, which was a satire on the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
According to the indictment, the accused grabbed a knife that he had bought just before the argument and stabbed one of the FCZ fans. The latter suffered serious injuries.
Agitation against foreigners and homosexuals
In addition, the public prosecutor's office accuses the Swiss national of openly inciting hatred against foreigners, Muslims and homosexuals with dozens of statements on "X" (then still "Twitter"). He also did not shy away from open calls for violence.
Finally, the now 26-year-old must also stand trial for criminal damage to property. On several occasions in June 2020, he is said to have sneaked through parks at night alone or with his brother. According to the indictment, they damaged several trees with machetes, including a centuries-old lime tree that had to be felled.
Process starts all over again
The reason for the second round before the district court is the incorrect composition of the first hearing. While the case of the alleged stabber and his brother was judged by a collegiate court, the FCZ fans ended up before a single judge.
At the same time, however, this single judge was also a member of the collegiate court that ruled on the right-wing extremist and his brother. "Not in conformity with the constitution", ruled the high court.
In the new version, the main defendant, his brother and other young men involved in the Sihlcity dispute are now standing together before a newly constituted collegiate court.
Son of prominent parents
The conditions that the Zurich District Court had imposed on the media for the trial at the time caused additional discussion. The two brothers are the children of well-known cultural figures. They themselves had been involved in a project on the subject of family life.
The court prohibited the media representatives from making any reference to this project - with reference to the parents' prominence. At the same time, however, the trial was open to the public. Anyone who attended the trial learned the identity of the defendants.
The "Tages-Anzeiger" and the "NZZ" challenged these restrictions with an appeal to the High Court. The court upheld the appeal. The strict restrictions have now been relaxed for the new edition of the trial.
©Keystone/SDA
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