Officers who arrived at the scene found several people preventing a man from fleeing. The detained man had attacked the 26-year-old Haredi Jew with his fists without any provocation from the victim. Thanks to the help of several passersby – including a Hasidic man and another non-Jewish individual – the attacker was held until Zurich police arrived. The attacker repeatedly shouted offensive and antisemitic remarks, even in the presence of police officers. The Haredi victim sustained minor injuries in the incident.
The 40-year-old Muslim man from Kosovo, known to police and without a permanent address in Switzerland, was arrested. Additional police investigations are currently underway. After an initial investigation, the suspect was transferred to the Zurich Public Prosecutor's Office.
In a police statement, officials said, "The attack was not random but specifically targeted a Jewish person." This incident is part of a series of antisemitic attacks that have increased in Switzerland since October 2023. Jews are suffering from insults and physical violence solely because of their Jewish identity.
According to a report by the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG), the victim suffered abrasions on his body and neck.
