A day after the knife attack on a 21-year-old man who had rushed to help a woman at Vienna’s Reumannplatz, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner went to the crime scene to get a sense of the focus of the police on juvenile crime. “If youth gangs commit mischief, the police will intervene with all the force of the law,” the ÖVP minister explained.
“We have had incidents recently where you cannot simply get back to work. Appropriate, robust measures are now in place,” Karner continues. In addition to the Youth Crime Task Force (EJK), which has been carrying out checks in public spaces since Monday, a ban on weapons and knives is currently being discussed to ‘disarm’ these ‘gangs’.
“The goal is to protect children and keep violent criminals out of circulation. The police measures taken so far in the consistent approach to youth crime will be bundled in a task force,” the minister explained at the local inspection, in which the federal coordinator of the youth crime task force (EJK), Dieter Csefan, also took part part.
Karner wants to discuss criminal responsibility
In addition to the “immediate measures”, the criminal liability of young people under the age of 14 is currently also an acute problem. Because Karner is convinced that this age group “should also feel consequences when they commit crimes.”
According to the ministry, crime among minors and young people has increased significantly in recent years. While in 2013 4,800 ten to 14-year-olds were reported for crimes, in 2022 this would have risen to more than 9,500. The number of 14 to 18 year olds reporting crimes has also increased from 24,800 in 2013 to almost 34,000 in 2022. The most common crimes are theft, damage to property, physical injury, dangerous threats, burglary, but also drug-related crimes.
Knife attack on helper (21)
Attempted murder is being investigated following an incident on Sunday evening near the well-known Tichy ice cream parlor on Reumannplatz. A 21-year-old was seriously injured after being stabbed. The young man came to the aid of women who were allegedly being harassed by a group of teenagers, police said Monday. They reacted extremely aggressively and attacked the 21-year-old. They chased him and one of the group stabbed him.
According to initial findings, the 21-year-old simply wanted to clarify the situation and confront the young men. As Defense Department spokesman Michael Bauer announced on X on Monday (see above), the victim was a military servant.
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.
