A small Swiss village, Soyhières, has been thrown into turmoil by a gang of unaccompanied migrant minors wreaking havoc since July. Despite their young age, these three or four children have caused an outsized amount of chaos, leaving authorities with few options to intervene.
Swiss newspaper Le Quotidien described the gang’s list of offenses as “long as two arms.” Their misdeeds include stealing purses, shooting farmers’ chickens with BB guns, setting a sheep shed ablaze with stolen church candles, and vandalizing graves by kicking over tombstones.
The town’s church has also suffered at the hands of the group. They damaged church property, defiled a Virgin Mary statue, and left shocking evidence of their actions. “They even defecated under a statue of the Holy Virgin,” said François Goudron, president of the parish. Other acts included urinating under pews, blackening altar tablecloths, and burning religious photos. While Goudron filed a police complaint, Swiss law prevents prosecuting minors.
The situation grew darker when the children, often seen hooded, were spotted carrying knives and even a small axe while wandering at night. The group reportedly came from a home in German-speaking Switzerland before arriving in Soyhières.
Frustration is mounting. Mayor Christian Zuber urged residents to stay calm, though he admitted his patience is wearing thin. “The police have already intervened about eight times, and the problems persist,” he told the municipal council. In one instance, Zuber personally tracked down a boy who had urinated in the town square and made him clean it with a scrub brush.
The case is now under investigation by the Child and Adult Protection Authority and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. However, this troubling incident comes on the heels of other religious desecrations in Switzerland, including an Afghan migrant defiling a Virgin Mary statue in Einsiedeln and a former politician posting offensive images of Jesus and Mary online.
For now, Soyhières waits for answers as the village grapples with the ongoing unrest caused by its youngest troublemakers.
