Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has spoken out in favor of stricter penalties against people who burn symbols as a sign of protest. “It would be desirable in some areas if there were stricter penalties for burning symbols,” Karner said on Wednesday.
“I think there will also be changes,” Karner referred to relevant conversations with the Ministry of Justice in the Ö1 Morning Journal.
Karner assured that police would take “strong action” against those who “shouted death to Israel and pulled down flags” during demonstrations. “More than 70 such cases have already been reported to the judiciary.”
Safety and protection of the population “top priority”
At the same time, the ÖVP politician defended the police’s approach to anti-Israel demonstrations, which critics described as too passive. “The top priority must be to guarantee the safety and protection of the population,” he stressed, referring to the German capital Berlin, where more than 60 police officers were injured in an operation against demonstrators. Such incidents could have been prevented in Austria.
Karner: “No concrete attack plans for Austria”
The latest threats of attacks in Germany show “how sensitive and challenging the situation is internationally and also in Europe,” Karner said. For this reason, the terror alert level has also been raised in Austria. However, there are “still no concrete attack plans for Austria,” the Interior Minister emphasized. When it comes to preventing attacks, he mainly emphasized international contacts with other intelligence services. These are “hugely important” and would now function again after the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Combating of Terrorism (BVT) “was ruined by one of my predecessors, Herbert Kickl,” he added, referring to the FPÖ chairman.
Karner did not want to admit any fault in the case of the Vienna city temple, which was not guarded during a flag incident. Instead, he pointed out that there had been intensive contact for years between security authorities and the Israeli Community (IKG), which acted in “close coordination.” That is why agreement has now been reached on ’24-hour property protection’.
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.
