"Is in the spotlight"

Edtstadler warns of “left-wing anti-Semitism”

(Bild: APA/Georg Hochmuth)

Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) warns of a rise in "left-wing anti-Semitism". The pendulum has "swung from right to left", Edtstadler said on Friday in Vienna with regard to the recent events at US universities. "Left-wing anti-Semitism" is now also "in the spotlight" in this country, she added. "We have always been relatively blind to the left, we have always seen anti-Semitism from the right."

According to Edtstadler, one problem is that there is still no case law on certain slogans such as "From the river to the sea, palestine must be free". She hopes to see the first decisions soon with the reform of the Prohibition Act, "so that the public is clearly made aware that these are not trivial offenses", but "pure anti-Semitism".

"Explosive increase" in anti-Semitic incidents
It seems as if the attack by Islamist Hamas on October 7, 2023 in Israel has "opened a Pandora's box", said Edtstadler, referring to the "explosive" increase in anti-Semitic incidents. In comparison: in 2022, there were 1.97 incidents per day, and in the period from October 7 to December 31 alone, there were 8.31 incidents, according to figures from the Jewish Community's (IKG) reporting office. "We underestimated the extent of anti-Semitism."

The pro-Palestine demonstrations in Vienna had made headlines, and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution had also become active.

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

"We have always been aware that it is actually impossible to bring about an end to anti-Semitism, but it is necessary to fight against it consistently and permanently in our society," said the Minister of the Constitution. Of the national strategy against anti-Semitism, 28 of a total of 38 measures have been fully implemented to date. Edtstadtler referred, for example, to the internet portal www.erinnern.at, primarily for teachers. The implementation of the missing ten measures is in progress. She also referred to the Vienna Conference against Anti-Semitism taking place on Monday.

"Austria clearly stands behind Israel"
Edtstadler also emphasized that Austria "clearly" stands behind Israel; the hostages kidnapped by Hamas must be released. At the same time, the Constitutional Minister continued, more humanitarian aid is needed in the Gaza Strip, which Israel must allow.

Sunday is the Day of Remembrance against Violence and Racism in memory of the victims of National Socialism. On May 5, 1945, the Mauthausen concentration camp in Upper Austria was liberated by the US army. Almost 200,000 people from more than 40 nations were held in the Mauthausen concentration camp and its more than 40 subcamps between 1938 and 1945; around 90,000 did not survive.