Screen shots aren’t articles. And that one is 2 days old.
Here’s a followup article with more details.
Regional context
He was not allowed to enter switzerland because Fedpol feared that he calls for violence and actively promotes Hamas (which Switzerland considers a terror organisation). As he crossed the border anyway, he got arrested and deported.
You can’t enter a country without a visa and wonder why you get arrested…
If that’s the conclusion you’ve arrived at after reading nazi-friendly content, then you’re probably a nazi too.
Ali Abunimah was born and raised in the U.S., so we can safely assume he possesses the U.S. citizenship and passport. What does Switzerland’s official immigration website have to say about U.S. citizens? Oh yeah, that’s right, you get full-on red carpet drawn for you:
And if the state designates an organization as a terrorist group, then that’s that right? We can just throw away our critical thinking (assuming we had any in the first place) and let the state known for rubbing elbows with nazis do the thinking for us, right? Piss off with that racist bullshit.
Note that while entering the Schengen area does not require a visa for USA citizens, you do have to get a visa waiver which is subject to limitations. See this document.
That’s true, starting from this year. I couldn’t find more information about this through primary sources of how tedious it is compared to your average long-and-arduous visa procedures that Global South countries are subjected to, but it appears to be a relatively quick non-process: https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/visa/visit-schengen/usa#1
The reason for his deportation wasn’t because “he didn’t have a visa” like the original comment purported as one of the points, or a lack of a visa-waiver for that matter. It was clear-cut “he’s too brown for our liking” but with glitter all over.
Congrats on confirming that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
The words “islamist” or “islamism” are so utterly meaningless nowadays. Basically means “brown person whose opinion we don’t like”.
I mean, there are things to critizise about him. But anyone who calls him an islamist juts shows his bigotry or utter stupidity.
(US citizens also don’t need a visa to enter Switzerland, but that is a technicality.)
I have not enough knowledge about him to say if it was reasonable to not let him in, but his post on X seemed to celebrate destruction and murder.
I think it is in the manner of “better safe than sorry” it is reasonable to not give this man a visa. And I very much hope that a person celebrating Israel’s attacks would neither.
And how does this make him an islamist?
You’ve just involuntarily proven my point that the word “islamist” is just utterly arbitrary and mostly just used to hide racism at this point.
but his post on X seemed to celebrate destruction and murder.
Lol, if Switzerland kicked out every European who generically celebrated destruction or murder, it would be an empty country.
They questioned him at the airport on arrival and then let him in initially.
I’m sorry but the NZZ are full blown fascists and disgusting liars.
NZZ has written that and only mentioned the reason the police told why they did it. They had no opinion in this article, as far as I can tell.
Apologies again, but that is nonsense.
The NZZ ran a defamatory hit piece and then this journalist, a 53 year old man mind you, was suddenly plucked off the street by plainclothes cops.
In much of Europe speaking out can get you arrested. Many of us don’t believe in universally free speech, starting at insults and hate speech.
Reminder: Palestine was liberated once before from the Crusaders and not by convincing the European invaders of human rights or any other value but through force.
No one should be delusional that a western colonial project backed by western powers will someday recognize the humanity of Palestinians. The only principle that the west understands is might makes right. That is the principle they have applied towards colonized peoples. Everything they say above human rights is a thin veneer over that brutal truth.
100%. They are so delusional that 48,000+ innocent deaths are meaning nothing, but their argument starts from October 7th. When Palestinians have been facing this for 75 years.
I come to your house, steal your stuff, tell you to fuj off. Obviously, you’re gonna fight back. Seems like minds in the West are so full of hatred towards Muslims, Arabs, and brown people that they’ve lost their humanity.
War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
