Islamist demo

Events like those in Hamburg would be prohibited here

Radical Muslim demands at a demonstration in Hamburg(Bild: APA/DPA/Axel Heimken)

In Hamburg on Saturday, a demonstration by Islamists caused both excitement and outrage. Although there were no violent incidents, the demands of the more than 1000 participants are politically explosive.

Slogans such as "Germany = dictatorship of values" and "Caliphate is the solution" could be read on posters. The organization "Muslim interaktiv", which is classified as extremist, was behind the rally. It deplores what it sees as an increasingly anti-Muslim policy in Germany. Calls for the group to be banned have become louder again since the weekend.

Number of dangerous people in double figures
In Austria, such gatherings would be banned - "also with knowledge of the events in Hamburg", the Ministry of the Interior said on Monday in response to an APA inquiry. The Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) is closely monitoring developments within the Islamist extremist scene in Austria. Young men in particular are appearing as so-called "Gefährder", with numbers in the double-digit range.

Radical Muslim demands at a demonstration in Hamburg(Bild: APA/DPA/Axel Heimken)

The scene is currently characterized by people born between 1995 and 2010, who are increasingly making a name for themselves as co-creators of terrorist online propaganda. Both national and international actors and groups use YouTube channels, messaging platforms and social media to disseminate content. This online propaganda is particularly targeted at teenagers and young adults due to its language, its depiction of trends and its style. 

Propaganda is also popular in Austria
The organization "Muslim interaktiv" in particular is known to the Austrian Office for the Protection of the Constitution due to its ideological proximity to "Hizb-ut-Tahrir" and the content conveyed on social media channels and at rallies. "The German-language content - also with reference to Austria - is also popular with Austrian Muslims due to the chosen narratives and the presentation of the videos," it said. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there are currently no signs of extremist demonstrations such as those in Hamburg in Austria.