“Switzerland Protestors Praise Hamas, Call for Israel’s Destruction During ‘Death to Zionism’ Rally in Basel”

In Basel, Switzerland, a protest titled “Free Palestine, Death to Zionism” took place recently, coinciding with the 129th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress, convened by Theodor Herzl in 1897. The protest saw demonstrators praising Hamas as a “resistance organization” and calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Executive Director of European Affairs, Shannon Seban, went undercover to document the event and spoke with participants.

One demonstrator compared Zionism to fascism, calling it a “very genocidal ideology.” Another echoed this sentiment, equating Zionism with ideologies from the Second World War, including Nazism. Seban described the atmosphere as confrontational, with demonstrators defying police instructions.

The Basel-Stadt Cantonal Police reported that 174 people were controlled during the protest, and items such as a baton, protective goggles, face-covering equipment, and Hamas propaganda were seized. Seban commended the police for their intervention and raised concerns about how Basel, a city with significant Jewish and Zionist history, can prevent the normalization of hatred, violence, and the glorification of terrorism in its streets.

In a letter to Basel Mayor Conradin Cramer, Seban expressed her concerns and requested a discussion on further actions the city could take to combat antisemitism and extremism. She also inquired about potential cooperation between CAM and Basel in addressing these issues. Seban highlighted that CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) monitored a total of 2,962 antisemitic incidents across Europe in 2025, marking a nearly 50% increase from the previous year. This situation calls to mind the biblical call for peace and justice, as reflected in Micah 6:8, urging us to act justly and love mercy.

Source: Read the original report