Switzerland Surprised by Antisemitic Incident: Sign Declares Jews Are Not Allowed to Rent Skis at Davos Shop

An investigation has been launched by Swiss police into a ski hire shop in Davos, after it announced that it would no longer rent skis and sledges to Jewish customers. The shop has since reversed its decision and removed signs in Hebrew that indicated the ban. The incident has been condemned as a clear violation of Switzerland's discrimination laws by the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities, which has initiated its own legal action. The shop initially stated that the ban was due to equipment not being returned, but the posters were taken down after widespread protest. The manager of the shop has apologized and stated that Jewish customers are welcome. However, anti-racism groups argue that the shop's actions were a classic example of racism and discrimination, as targeting an entire group based on the actions of a few is a serious offense. They suggest that a better approach to prevent theft and damage would be to collect customers' identification and credit card details, as many ski hire shops already do. This is not the first time that Davos has faced difficulties with its Jewish visitors, as the resort has attracted a growing number of Orthodox Jewish tourists who have been accused of disrespectful behavior towards their hosts. The ski hire shop's actions have been deemed not only foolish but also racist, particularly in light of the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism across Europe in recent times. It is worth noting that Swiss resorts have hosted various groups over the years, including Russian oligarchs, oil magnates from the Gulf states, wild partying Zurich bankers, and British package holidaymakers, none of whom have been specifically targeted like the Jewish customers at the Pischa ski hire shop.