Left-wing Bernese pub in court for racial discrimination
Keystone-SDA
An alternative leftwing bar and restaurant in Bern has been taken to court for racial discrimination. The Brasserie Lorraine was reported by the youth wing of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party.
The background to this is an incident in July 2022, when a concert by the Bernese reggae band Lauwarm was stopped because some guests felt that the African clothing and dreadlocks worn by white band members constituted cultural appropriation.
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The Junge SVP (Young Swiss People’s Party) saw the termination of the concert as a case of “racism against whites” and obtained a penalty order from the public prosecutor’s office in Bern. Brasserie Lorraine was fined CHF3,000 (about $3,296).
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The restaurant lodged an objection, which is why the case is now being heard in public. The regional court in Bern will announce its verdict next Monday.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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