Swiss Pool Reportedly Bans Foreigners After Repeated Harassment Of ‘Young Women’

A town in Switzerland is reportedly banning foreigners from entering its public pool after an increase in harassment, including against young women.

In the municipality of Porrentruy, which borders France, only those with Swiss documentation will be allowed to enter the public pool from July 4 to August 31, according to the Swiss news outlet Watson. Authorities said over 20 had already been prohibited from using the pool, the Brussel Signal reported.

“It’s about harassment against young women, inappropriate language, bathing in underwear, and also violent behavior after admonitions,” Mayor Lionel Maitre said, claiming security services were not sufficient to deter the alleged behavior.

The measure is not meant to target solely French people, but Swiss violators were a minority, according to the mayor.

Swiss People’s Party (SVP) MP Benjamin Fischer told Watson he agreed with the municipality’s decision, according to the Signal.

“They are young men from the Maghreb countries, Syria, and Afghanistan. They arrive in groups and systematically harass other people, especially young women,” he alleged.

The MP said it is a broader issue within Switzerland. “The problem exists not only in the Jura, but also in many other places in Switzerland. The outdoor pools have become free hunting grounds for young men who have a different cultural background and are not used to young women spending normal time in bikinis at the swimming pool,” the MP alleged.

Foreign tourists and commuters are still able to access the pool if they obtain a vacation card from a local hotel or campsite, Swiss outlet Blue News reported.

Concerns about foreign nationals allegedly committing acts of violence in these public settings extend to other parts of Europe.

In Germany last year, foreigners allegedly committed almost two-thirds of sexual assaults in outdoor swimming pools, according to data from Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office obtained by the European Conservative. 237 of the 367 suspects recorded nationally were not German nationals.

A public awareness campaign in Germany has sparked controversy over its portrayal of victims and offenders of harassment in public swimming pools. https://t.co/wqyheetNmO

— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 3, 2025

Four Syrian men allegedly harassed nine girls from ages 11 to 17 on June 22 at a local pool in Gelnhausen, Germany and “touched on the whole body,” the Signal reported.