The pro-Palestinian rallies in Vienna last weekend caused an uproar in parliament. SPÖ and NEOS are now demanding clarification from Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). For example, they want to know whether the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police are “actively carrying out their legal duties.” The FPÖ, in turn, wants the demonstrators to be expelled immediately.
As reported, demonstrators in Vienna this weekend spoke of Palestine’s “self-defense” and waved flags as they sang and danced. They referred to the attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas. There were also similar gatherings in several German cities (see video above).
The opposition has now spoken out about the one in Vienna. “Celebrating terror and murder has no place on the streets of Austria. Our democracy must be defensive and, because of its history here, has a special responsibility to ensure that everyone who lives in Austria and is in fear and terror because of their origins or family feels safe,” said NEOS spokeswoman Stephanie Krisper.
SPÖ: “Should have been dissolved”
“Demonstrations in honor of Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and should of course have been disbanded,” the SPÖ parliamentary club said on Monday. Anyone who condones or even incites terrorism commits a criminal offense. The Minister of the Interior is responsible for assessing the situation, preparations and any intervention on site.
Police, meanwhile, defended their actions. “Last weekend’s demonstrations were emotional but peaceful. There were no criminal offenses such as sedition or the use of prohibited flags or symbols,” the Vienna State Police Directorate said.
Here you see a tweet from the Vienna police.
The possibility of free speech is part of democracy and the right to assembly is guaranteed in the constitution. It should only be limited in cases precisely regulated by law. In May 2021, a pro-Palestinian demonstration was wrongly banned, the administrative judge ruled.
FPÖ wants deportations
Harald Vilimsky, head of the liberal delegation in the European Parliament, called in a broadcast on Monday for the immediate expulsion of “Palestinians and groups of Arab descent” who had publicly celebrated Hamas’s acts of terror in European cities. Moreover, their organizational structures should be banned.
Here you can see a tweet from Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens).
The Greens limited themselves to once again condemning the demonstrations. “Anyone who cheers when people are kidnapped and murdered and when there is terror is trampling on the values of peaceful coexistence.” Particularly in Austria, the country’s history requires special sensitivity.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
