Alfredo Zardini

Alfredo Zardini (c. 1941 - March 20, 1971) was an Italian immigrant who was attacked and killed in Zürich, Switzerland.
Like many other Italians in the 20th century, Zardini came to Switzerland to work — in 1970, 17% of the inhabitants of Zurich were foreigners, half of them Italians. Zardini had left his village in the Province of Belluno to find a job as a roofer. On his way to his first day of work in the early morning of Saturday, March 20, 1971, Zardini entered the "Stirnimaa", a tavern with the reputation of attracting drunks and local xenophobes. Zardini got into an argument with a man who was both drunk and a right-wing political activist. He was beaten until he lost consciousness and dragged out to the sidewalk, where he was attacked by another person. Police were called and Zardini was brought to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The initial attacker was released from prison after three months of investigation. The second attacker has never been identified.
Zardini's death became a national issue. In many factories and on many construction sites, Italians did not turn up for work on the Monday following the event. The tabloid Blick claimed on March 25 that the death, as tragic as it was, had nothing to do with xenophobia.
Zardini was survived by his wife and his child.

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