“The ban could give a false sense of security”

Expert on the debate about right-wing extremist symbolism

“The ban could give a false sense of security”

Politicians are currently discussing a possible ban on right-wing extremist symbols in Switzerland. That’s basically a good sign, says extremism expert Samuel Althof. However, the direct effect is limited.

“One must not give in to the illusion that such a ban could curb right-wing extremism,” said Althof in an interview with the Tamedia newspapers published on Friday. Experiences in Germany and Austria have shown that. “In fact, a ban could give us a false sense of security, as you wouldn’t see the well-known extremist symbols any more, or much less often.”

“If there were a ban, right-wing extremists would switch to other symbols such as the number 88, a synonym for the Hitler salute, since ‘Heil Hitler’ begins twice with the eighth letter of the alphabet,” Althof is convinced. This led to a continuous need to adapt the legal norm. “The result would be a kind of endless game of cat and mouse that nobody can win.” In addition, it would be more difficult to find people from the right-wing extremist environment, which would also make his work more difficult.