Man stands trial in Zürich for attempted arson attack on synagogue

A 34-year-old Swiss man appeared before a Zürich court on Thursday, charged with attempting to set fire to the Agudas Achim synagogue in August 2024.

According to the indictment, the accused soaked advertising leaflets in petrol and placed them against the synagogue's entrance, then tried to ignite them with a lit cigarette. The attempt failed. Prosecutors noted that even had it caught fire, the amount of petrol used would likely not have been enough to damage the heavy wooden door.

The man suffers from mental health conditions and prosecutors concluded he was not criminally responsible. Rather than a prison sentence, they are seeking inpatient psychiatric treatment.

The case is one of several antisemitic incidents in Zürich since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. The most serious remains a knife attack in March 2024, in which a 15-year-old seriously wounded an orthodox Jewish man — a case expected to go to trial later this year on charges of attempted murder.