A city councilor in Switzerland has issued an apology and reportedly sought police protection after facing threats for firing a sport pistol at an auction poster of a 14th-century Madonna and child painting and posting the vandalized images on social media.
Sanija Ameti, 32, an official from the Green-Liberal party, uploaded the contentious images to Instagram over the weekend, only to quickly remove them. She later explained that she had been practicing her shooting from about 10 meters (33 feet) away and found the poster to be a “big enough” target.
“I apologize to the people who were hurt by my post. I deleted it immediately when I realized its religious content. I didn’t think about it,” Ameti wrote on X. “I’m incredibly sorry.”
In the aftermath, the Green-Liberal party in Zurich announced Ameti’s resignation from its leadership. Beat Rüfenacht, the party’s co-president, mentioned that Ameti is “in a safe place, and she’s OK.” She did not respond to an attempt by The Associated Press to reach her through social media.
The media center for the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland, Kath.ch, reported that Swiss bishops condemned the shooting, remarking that “this hurts the religious sensibilities of many Catholics.” The website also stated that Ameti had sent an email indicating that she and her family had sought police protection due to threats.
Farner Group, Ameti’s employer, stated via email on Monday that it had decided to terminate her employment.
Images of the incident continued to circulate widely in Swiss media and online. Daily 20 Minutes published photos including one of Ameti standing in a stone-paneled crypt and pointing a pistol, with another frame revealing bullet holes in the haloed heads and faces of Mary and Jesus.
The auction poster, from the auction house Koller, featured details of Tommaso del Mazza’s 14th-century work “Madonna with Child and the Archangel Michael,” which is set to be sold on Sept. 20.
Associates and organizations distanced themselves from Ameti’s actions, particularly important in light of upcoming referendums on national and local issues on Sept. 22. Among these is an initiative to better protect biodiversity in Switzerland, which the Green-Liberal party in Zurich supports.
Operation Libero, an advocacy group co-founded by Ameti that champions free democracy, labeled her actions as “wrong and inappropriate,” reinforcing its stance on religious freedom and opposition to incitement.
Ameti, a known firearms aficionado and lawyer with expertise in cybersecurity, had previously attracted attention for stunts including wearing military fatigues at an event with the populist Swiss People’s Party and posting campaign posters in Albania.
