Sanija Ameti announces her withdrawal from the public eye in Zurich

"Sausages for freedom" was written on a small sign stuck into sausages on a plate. There was a chair next to it. Local councillor Sanija Ameti (non-party) wanted to give a speech on this chair in front of the Kunsthaus on Wednesday afternoon.

The media had already gathered around the small art installation. But Ameti did not show up. On the same day, the Zurich District Court had sentenced her to a conditional fine for violating freedom of religion. Ameti was on trial for shooting at a picture of Mary and Jesus.

She remained silent during the trial, but announced that she would make a statement in the court afterwards. Instead, she had now printed out her speech for the public and placed it on the empty chair to take away.

"The death of the public figure"

In her text to the public, she wrote that she had had numerous experiences with public shaming. She saw "the death of the public figure" as the only way out: "Sanija Ameti, the Swiss politician who denied herself, therefore had to die," she wrote.

In doing so, she frees herself from "the mask of publicity" and invites freedom to sit with her. "The chair remains free, but the place is set for everyone." Ameti is no longer standing in the municipal elections on March 8.

The politician, who has no party affiliation, then arrived at the city council meeting in the evening. Around two hours after the start, she took her seat in front of the AL. She had taken this seat after leaving the GLP. Various politicians from the left-wing AL immediately struck up a conversation with Ameti.