Sanija Ameti
Sanija Ameti, a leading Swiss politician and co-chair of the liberal movement Operation Libero, came under the spotlight for a post on her Instagram profile. The content, which sparked outrage and criticism from many people, showed Ameti intent on firing a gun at an image of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. The incident sparked a heated debate, and the politician later apologised for the incident.

The post Instagram: 'Unintentional provocation' ?

In the now removed post, Ameti had published two pictures. The first depicted her aiming a gun, accompanied by the words 'Abschalten' (German for 'turn off' or 'detach'). However, the content that really triggered the storm was the second shot, which showed the target of the shot: a sacred image of the Madonna and Child, which was part of an art catalogue.

According to her own statements, the choice of the image as a target had no religious or provocative intentions. "I needed a visible image for the 10-metre shot," Ameti explained. "I did not pay attention to the content of the images. This was a mistake, and I am deeply sorry if anyone was offended."


Public apology: 'An error of impulsiveness'

Immediately after publication, and after being contacted by the Blick newspaper for comment, the politician removed the post and posted an apology on her social channels. "What I did was absolutely stupid," Ameti said, stressing that she had not thought through the possible consequences. "I sincerely apologise to all the people who felt hurt by my action."