Austrian authorities have recorded a significant increase in violence and stabbing attacks over the past decade. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) now speaks in the ‘Krone’ interview about violence against women, a new task force against youth gangs, his understanding of anger – and ‘knife exclusion zones’.
“Kron”: Minister of the Interior, three murdered women in an erotic studio, serial abuse of a 12-year-old and most recently a dead 14-year-old from a precarious environment in an apartment. Is Vienna still safe for girls and women?
Karner: Yes, but when cases occur in such a cluster, it clearly leads to uncertainty and fear. And it is the job of the responsible politicians and police to tighten things up. For this reason, a working group of experts from different domains – police, justice – was set up. With the clear goal: protect children, educate young people, punish violent criminals. I have also instructed the Director General of Public Security to set up a task force to combat juvenile crime. The focus is on checks in metropolitan areas and hotspots.
And what about lowering the criminal age?
There will be suggestions about criminal liability, because those who do something that does not comply with the rules and laws should expect consequences, sanctions or even punishments. It doesn’t matter how old. But we also want to do something in the area of carrying weapons (editor’s note: legally possible by amending the Weapons Act). We already have the ability to declare no-gun zones.
Now the question is whether we should establish a complete gun and knife ban zone, as other European countries have done. With obvious exceptions for customs, hunting and even the classic snack knife, there are several categories. But no one can tell me that in public places I should be armed to the teeth with knives that serve as weapons.
Afghanistan, Syria, multiculturalism. All three cases mentioned have a refugee or migrant background. Have we already failed in integration?
First of all, I’m not ready to lump everyone together. I’ve never done that and I never will. People from all countries of the world are valuable members of our society. This ranges from nurses to “crown” colporteurs. But there are certain nationalities that stand out in the crime statistics. And that too must and will be addressed by me.
Some of these are people from Afghanistan and Syria who spent years in Turkish refugee camps without access to education or a regulated life. Here, and I put this on the agenda during the last meeting of the Ministers of the Interior, deportations must also be possible again. I believe that when it comes to the issue of juvenile delinquency, foreign crime and femicide, it is necessary to be cautious and consistent. Not loud and radical.
The majority of the suspects in the case of abuse of the 12-year-old are criminally liable. As a father of three, what do you say to the parents of the abused girl that all but one of the other 17 suspects are at large? Or do you, as Minister of the Interior, understand the decision of the judiciary?
I would like to say that as head of police, and as Minister of the Interior, I have decided not to criticize the judiciary. Because criminal prosecution can work in this way, close cooperation is required. On the other hand, I fully understand the anger, concern and sometimes anger that some violent criminals are still walking around freely here and that the Minister of Justice has gone into hiding.
Abuse of videos, threats, hatred on the Internet – isn’t the mobile phone a dangerous weapon because it is always at hand?
Maybe a few points. First I have the topic “Knives, guns”. If a knife becomes a weapon, we must think about how to remove and prevent it. And I see it the same way with cell phone use, especially for children and young people. How can I bring the Youth Protection Act to life? When it comes to media use, sometimes it’s not worth the paper it’s written on. What do I mean by that? The Youth Protection Act clearly stipulates which young people may see which cinema films at what age. It is not unusual for a 12 or 13 year old to be denied access to a movie at the cinema intended for 14 or 16 year olds.
But he can then sit on the bench in front of the cinema and watch violent videos, porn, anti-Semitic, racist or Islamic videos. And the responsibility of the parents will probably have to play an important role. There are technical options that can and should be used.
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.
