Hatred of Israel – Islamists recruited at Palestinian demonstration

“Even if Israel could kill every Hamas terrorist, they cannot kill hatred” – that is how dramatically an intelligence expert puts the analysis of the hostility “against them” openly displayed under the guise of white-black-green demonstrations red flags and scarves Zionists” in the streets of Vienna and other major cities get to the point.

First of all: not every young man who emigrates to Austria from Arab countries is automatically inclined to radical ideas. And yet more than just strange images emerged around Vienna’s Stephansplatz on Wednesday evening. While official Austria commemorated the Israeli and international victims of Hamas terror in a vigil on Ballhausplatz, a few hundred meters away hatred erupted against the country that was brutally attacked last Saturday.

Actually banned by the police, hundreds of people – mainly men – gathered several hours earlier to incite against Israel. But who are these protesters and what drives them?

Up to 500 pro-Palestinian demonstrators
As the Vienna State Police Directorate reported the next day, 304 identities were checked and reports issued. By comparison, about 200 people are said to have participated in the Israeli vigil, which took place at the same time on Ballhausplatz. Surprisingly, the pro-Palestinian rally, which was banned due to security concerns, attracted more participants, estimated at between 300 and 500.

One person was arrested under Criminal Code 292 for refusing to disperse the demonstration. In addition, it submitted eleven administrative communications. According to the LPD, an escalation could be prevented. And yet the police may have underestimated the explosive power of the political gathering.

Most of them are not even from Palestine
Only shortly after 10 p.m. the demonstration, which also wanted to march towards Ballhausplatz, was surrounded. The mood is described as “heated” because participants included sympathizers of Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization, with “violence-specific ideas.”

When you look at the participants, you notice that the majority are young, male, Arab and open to radical ideas. Only a few actually come from Palestine. In fact, there were only five so-called stateless persons. Nearly half, about 120, were Syrians. Only about 70 demo participants have Austrian citizenship.

Targeted mobilization of young demonstration participants
And: Certain participants apparently do not distinguish between downplaying a terrorist attack on Israeli civilians and political involvement in the region, as Ferdinand Haberl, deputy director of the Documentation Center for Political Islam, explains. Which ultimately culminates in ‘sympathy for the atrocities of Hamas’. This dynamic would be used specifically for mobilization by actors of left-wing extremism and political Islam. According to Haberl, boys on the sidelines of the demonstration were “approached by Islamic actors in extremist-looking clothing.”

“Very dangerous dynamics for Austria”
The current demonstration shows “how quickly the glorification of barbaric violence can be mixed with political positions.” This dynamic and the convergence of left-wing extremism and political Islam, which the documentation center has been observing for some time, is “extremely dangerous” for Austria. The participants are then in acute danger of being taken over by fundamentalists and turning away from our democracy towards violence and extremism. It is unclear whether the organizers, who use “influencers” to advertise on social media, will call for another demo soon.