"Jews frightened"

IKG President calls for end to Palestine camp

The President of the Jewish Community of Vienna, Oskar Deutsch (archive photo)

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The President of the Israeli Jewish Community (IKG) is calling for the Vienna Palestine protest camp to be disbanded. "Where do we live? There are calls for terror against Jews at the Intifada camp and the police do not intervene," said Oskar Deutsch in a statement.

"The next day, students protest against the calls for violence, and the police protect the terror supporters, encircle the peaceful people holding up signs with inscriptions such as "Free Gaza From Hamas" and report them," it continues. This approach would have contributed to more insecurity for all students and to greater fear among Jews in Austria.

What had happened? As reported, the Old General Hospital (AKH) of the University of Vienna has been the scene of a protest camp since Monday evening, during which calls for a global intifada were made, among other things. This refers to a violent terror campaign with assassinations of civilians.

The Palestine protest camp in Vienna

(Bild: Groh Klemens)

Many participants wear Palestine scarves and masks.

(Bild: Groh Klemens)

The ICG calls on the police to break up the camp. However, the police saw no reason to do so.

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

Counter-demonstration dispersed
On Wednesday, counter-demonstrators arrived at the camp. The police were on site with a large contingent and ensured that the two groups did not get too close to each other. There were reportedly no incidents. According to the police, they did not break up the protest camp because they saw no reason to do so, such as a threat to public safety or damage to property.

In other cities, such as Germany and the USA, Palestine camps and protests have been broken up. Oskar Deutsch from the Israeli religious community said that the management of operations on the campus of the University of Vienna should therefore be questioned.

Another incident at liberation celebrations
Another incident occurred at the international liberation ceremony at the Mauthausen concentration camp memorial on Sunday. An activist had come with a Palestinian flag. This was an "affront to all those murdered during the Shoah", announced the IKG. For this reason, no official representatives will be present at the "Festival of Joy" this Wednesday evening.

The event is organized by the Mauthausen Committee and celebrates the end of the war on 8 May. It has been held annually at Heldenplatz in Vienna since 2013. This time, a speech by contemporary witness Rosa Schneeberger, who was deported to a camp with her mother and siblings at the age of five, is expected.