On the eve of the Academic Ball, there were riots in the center of Vienna during a counter-demonstration. According to the police, three officers were injured on Thursday. Demonstrators threw eggs and pyrotechnics at the police officers. Further demonstrations have been announced for today, Friday evening around the academic ball.
At Thursday night’s rally, dubbed the “anti-fascist walk through the stalls”, the mood of the participants had become increasingly aggressive. Not only was a house facade damaged with fireworks, officials were also pelted with eggs and pyrotechnic objects, according to the police. When the demonstration was stopped and participants were asked to hand over pyrotechnics, police officers were pushed and kicked.
“Event officially cancelled”
“Because it could not be ruled out that further criminal offenses would be committed by the participants, the meeting was officially dissolved,” the police said. Some pyrotechnic items that were left behind had to be retrieved and specially stored by an explosives expert due to their dangerous nature. The police report: Three injured police officers, three administrative and eleven criminal charges, as well as numerous identity checks and fireworks seizures.
Ten more rallies registered
There were still ten meetings around the fraternity ball for tonight, the police announced in advance. At least one of them is aimed directly at the ball: the “offensive against the right” has again called for a demonstration through the inner city. The start of the protest march (motto: “Throw fascists out of the Hofburg!”) is at 6 p.m. in the Sigmund-Freud-Park at the Schottentor. At 19:30 a final rally on Morzinplatz is scheduled. The organizers expect 2000 to 3000 participants.
The police is present with about 1,200 officers. From noon, the police will set up a closed area around the hall in the Hofburg. The Ring will be closed to traffic in sections – from 4:30 p.m. from Schwarzenbergplatz to Schottentor. Tram traffic in this area is also affected – but not the subway (only the subway entrance to Minoritenplatz is closed at Herrengasse station due to the parking ban). Traffic disruptions are to be expected in the city centre, the police advise to drive around the city center on a large scale.
Source: Krone
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