Swiss politician Sanija Ameti has resigned from her leadership position throughout the Green Liberal Party in Zurich following public outrage over images she posted on the weekend of herself firing a sports pistol at a poster of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.
The images, which were shared on Instagram, showed the faces of Mary and Jesus riddled with bullet holes, prompting a wave of criticism and formal complaints.
Ameti, 32, who has been co-president of the progressive movement Operation Libero since 2021, deleted the photographs and issued an apology shortly after realising the religious nature of the artwork.
“I apologise to the individuals who were hurt by my post. I deleted it immediately after I realised its religious content. I didn’t give it some thought,” Ameti wrote on X, formerly referred to as Twitter. “I’m incredibly sorry.”
The images were taken during a shooting rehearsal, where Ameti explained she had chosen the poster since it was “large enough” for an appropriate goal, but had not noticed the religious significance of the image. The incident quickly attracted condemnation, particularly from conservative groups and Christian organisations.
The youth wing of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party filed a criminal criticism against Ameti, citing a violation of freedom of faith and worship. Nicolas Rimoldi, founding father of Mass-Voll, also announced his intention to press charges, stating that Ameti’s actions were deeply offensive to the Christian faith.
In response to the backlash, Ameti resigned from her leadership position throughout the Green Liberal Party. The party is now considering expulsion proceedings. In an announcement, the Zurich chapter of the Green Liberals said: “In the view of the party leadership, Sanija Ameti’s continued membership of the Green Liberals would damage the status of the Green Liberals.”
Amid the general public criticism, Ameti has reportedly sought police protection attributable to threats made against her, further highlighting the intensity of the backlash.
Ameti’s skilled life has also been affected by the controversy. Farner Group, the consulting firm where she worked, confirmed that her employment had been terminated following the incident.
