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Action promised after tram driver in Zurich makes racist announcement
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Action promised after tram driver in Zurich makes racist announcement

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© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Jul 1, 2025
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

A tram driver in Zurich has been sanctioned after making a racist announcement while en route. He remarked that a “dark-skinned young man,” whom he claimed "contributes nothing to the Swiss economy," was responsible for causing the delay.

Zurich tram driver blames delay on "dark-skinned" man

The incident itself took place around 9pm on June 17, when the driver was operating a Route 9 tram from Triemli toward Hirzenbach. Unfortunately, the tram was delayed outside Langmauerstrasse, just before Irchel, as it waited for another tram to turn into a nearby depot.

In a passenger account given to 20 Minuten, the driver explained over the tannoy that the tram ahead of them could not turn into the depot because a passenger had refused to get off the service. However, after just a few seconds, the driver came back with another message: "I can't help but say this: It was, of course, a dark-skinned young man who probably sleeps all week and contributes nothing to the Swiss economy."

VBZ vows action as experts condemn "clearly racist" incident

Speaking to the newspaper, migration and asylum lawyer Nora Riss said the “driver’s statement is clearly racist.” She added that the fact that the message was delivered on public transport in his official capacity as a driver made it “frightening and extremely serious” as it shows that “racism does not only occur at the individual level, but is an institutional and structural problem in Switzerland.”

In response, Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) confirmed that it would take disciplinary action against the driver, although it refrained from detailing the punishment. VBZ apologised for the incident, adding that "there is zero tolerance for racist and discriminatory actions and statements."

They also thanked the news scout for reporting on the comments and encouraged anyone with similar cases to come forward. "Because only then can we react and sensitise employees to the prevention of such situations."

Incidents like these are sadly not uncommon in Switzerland. The most recent report from the Federal Commission Against Racism found that police or other authorities responded to 1.211 racist incidents in 2024, nearly 40 percent more than in 2023. Xenophobia and racism against black people were the most common incidents.

Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com

By Jan de Boer