Right-wing radical meetings at the Morgarten Monument

The government council has given answers to an interpellation by two SP cantonal council members. They had presented questions regarding the recurring gatherings of right-wing extremist groups at the Morgarten Monument.

Groups with right-wing extremist backgrounds regularly meet at the Morgarten Monument, and this also happened at the end of last year, after the "Kameradschaft Edelweiss" called for a commemorative march. The march was dedicated to the battle that took place there in 1315, and the march ended at the memorial in Oberägeri.

The SP (socialist party) cantonal councillors (Kantonsrat) Ronahi Yener and Guido Suter addressed an interpellation to the government council. They wanted to know if and how action was being taken against the neo-Nazi meetings. The government has now given its answers.

The Morgarten Monument           Archive photo Zuger Zeitung

The government justifies allowing the meetings in accordance with the basic freedom of opinion and information and the freedom to assemble. These rights can be restricted In the case of incidents or violations of penal norms, but this has not been the case so far with the meetings in question. The meetings took place in a "private setting" - and not in public – and the offence of "discrimination and incitement to hatred" was thereby not fulfilled.

The government council (Regierungsrat) is aware of six meetings in the past ten years, in which no risks to local residents, other visitors or walkers have been recorded so far. The meetings have to be judged as normal events. According to the Zug Police, a requirement for a permit or even an intervention has not been necessary so far.