Protection money collected

Gang collected protection money from classmates in Vienna

Pupils were beaten daily by the gang at a Viennese secondary school. (Symbolic image).

(Bild: APA/Hans Putz, mubi – stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

The Reumannplatz crime scene has once again made it to Vienna's regional court. A 14-year-old and a 15-year-old are alleged to have committed a robbery there - they were remanded in custody. The teenagers are accused together with three other young people. The trial opens up abysses. Three of the boys bullied their classmates for months.

"If you give me two euros every week, I'll defend you from beatings and won't hit you," said a 15-year-old classmate of the accused about the ordeal he went through. According to the prosecution and witnesses, unbelievable scenes took place in class 3C of a secondary school in Vienna-Landstraße. "They made jokes, insulted me. Then they hit me. In the neck or on the arm," says one pupil, looking at his former classmates in the dock. "How often did they do that?" Judge Katharina Adegbite-Lewy wants to know. "Almost every day," is the answer.

If you give me two euros every week, I'll defend you from beatings and won't hit you.

Die angeklagten Burschen forderten Schutzgeld.

Witnesses mistaken for a school class
Many children in the "problem class" suffered the same fate as the boy. Girls were also beaten and had to pay protection money every week. One young witness after another tells of the violence-dominated school day. So many that a court clerk came into the courtroom and reported on a school class waiting outside. She suspected that they had come to the Landl as part of a school excursion. In fact, they were mainly victims of the gang with witness invitations.

Numerous young people came to the Vienna Regional Court on Thursday.

(Bild: APA/HANS PUNZ)

The accused youths do not take the criminal proceedings very seriously. They are constantly smiling at each other. "Very funny. I'm glad you're having fun," Ms. Rat admonishes the defendants, who are accused of robbery, extortion, grievous bodily harm and coercion. Most of the offenses involve violent outbursts towards classmates.

Very funny. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.

Frau Rat ermahnt die Täter, die im Prozess oft schmunzeln.

Defendant: "It was fun"
"And why did you hit her?" asks the judge. "I don't know why. It was fun. I didn't know they took it so seriously." Now the presiding judge shows photos of the victims' injuries. Videos recorded for TikTok or Instagram also provide evidence of the aggression. They show kicks to the head and punches, even when the victim is already lying on the ground.

"Where were the teachers all the time?" Ms. Rat says what everyone in the room is probably thinking. "Outside. That was during the breaks," say the defendants in broken German. The background of the fifth defendant is particularly depressing in the trial. The Syrian, who was born in 2010 and came to Austria years ago as an unaccompanied minor refugee, was not in the "problem class", but was involved in a robbery at Reumannplatz. 

Fifth defendant had only just reached the age of criminal responsibility
The young defendant was only 14 years old shortly before the robbery and therefore of criminal age. He can neither read nor write and has to be looked after individually by child and youth welfare services because he is obviously not suitable for living in a shared flat. "When I get out of prison, I want to go back to school," he asserts. 

In the end, the two 15-year-olds were sentenced to five and six months probation respectively for continued violence, robbery, grievous bodily harm and coercion. In addition, probation was ordered and the boys were instructed to undergo psychotherapy.

The sentences are not legally binding and the public prosecutor has not yet issued a statement. The case against the 16-year-old was dismissed and will be heard separately at the beginning of June, as his legal adviser insisted that he be questioned as a witness.