Religious minority groups to be granted better protection

The government has decided to boost financial support to protect Jewish and Muslim minorities in Switzerland.

For the next four years, the government has earmarked CHF2.5 million ($2.7 million) annually to be spent on technical and construction measures at buildings, including synagogues and mosques, the Federal Police Office said on Wednesday.

This is an increase of CHF500,000 annually, but it is likely to be cut again from 2028.

It is hoped that most of the buildings at risk of an attack will be better protected by then, a statement said.

The government says the current funding, introduced two years ago, is not sufficient and several requests for additional financial help had to be turned down.

The threat of attacks by extremists and terrorist groups against Jewish and Muslim institutions has grown over the past few years, according to the Federal Intelligence Service.

Earlier this year, Jewish organisations expressed concern about rising anti-Semitism in Switzerland during the Covid pandemic.