Swiss police investigate Davos ski shop that ‘refused to serve Jews’

14 February 2024, 10:06

Police in Switzerland have launched an investigation into a ski shop which put up a sign saying it would no longer rent equipment to Jews.

The shop, at the Pischa mountain station near Davos said a number of ‘very annoying incidents’ had resulted in them no longer renting gear like sleds, skis and snow shoes to Jewish people.

The message was in Hebrew and appeared to directed at Israeli Jews.

Police in the Graubunden region said they had started an investigation over potential violation of discrimination and incitement to hatred laws.

"The poster is undisputedly discriminatory," said Jonathan Kreutner, head of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities. "This is antisemitism."

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"An entire group of guests is being collectively labelled because of their appearance and origin,” he added.

Pischa hotel-restaurant told Swiss website Blick the sign had "nothing to do with antisemitism" and that it had many "wonderful" Jewish guests.

They originally said equipment was being left on the slopes or not returned at all.

Staff reportedly did not want “the hassle” of finding and retrieving abandoned sledges.

They later apologised and said the sign was badly worded. It has now been taken down.

Philipp Wilhelm, mayor of Davos, said: “Any and all forms of antisemitism, racism and discrimination must be condemned. This does not belong in Davos.”

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities secretary general Jonathan Kreutner said: “The poster is undisputedly discriminatory.

“That shocks me. This really is a new level of audacity.

"This is antisemitism. An entire group of guests is being collectively labelled because of their appearance and origin."