After the disturbing incident was reported in front of the Vienna City Temple (the “Krone”), police were able to identify a suspect (17) on Sunday. They and other people allegedly shouted inflammatory slogans and tore the Israeli flag, which was attached to the Israelite Community building, from its anchorage.
The investigators managed to track down the 17-year-old girl. She has already been questioned by LVT Vienna about the accusations.
Admits damage to property, denies sedition
She admits there was property damage, but the girl denies the charges of sedition. She was said to have been heavily drunk on Saturday evening. Moreover, she only met the other people shortly before the crime and, according to her own statement, they motivated her to commit the crime.
The 17-year-old was reported to be at large. The investigation into the other suspects is still ongoing.
Incident causes general horror
The incident in front of the synagogue on Saturday evening caused horror in Vienna. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) also “strongly condemned” the incident on Twitter (X).
According to the police, a witness to the incident wanted to arrest a perpetrator on Saturday evening. During the attempt, he was allegedly stopped by several strangers and beaten by a man. As a result, he suffered facial injuries.
24-hour monitoring introduced
The police have now decided to keep a permanent eye on the building. Not only on social media, but also from the SPÖ, the NEOS and parts of the Greens, there was criticism on Sunday as to why even Vienna’s main synagogue was not guarded 24 hours a day.
Karner defends the behavior of the police
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) on Sunday defended the behavior of the executive, who until now was only present (at least visibly) during the opening hours of the synagogue. The police were aware that the danger to Jewish institutions is currently particularly great. Therefore, the presence and the secret presence have increased. However, the priority initially lay on protecting people from Jewish schools, shops and sports facilities, among other things.
Karner also emphasized that he had spoken several times with the president of the Israeli Religious Community, Oskar Deutsch, because close coordination was important here. Viennese police chief Georg Pürstl also emphasized that they were “in close coordination” not only with those responsible for state security and intelligence, but also with those in the Jewish community involved in security issues.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
