After bottle attack

FPÖ Hallein calls for more security at festivals

According to the FPÖ, security staff at Hallein's Old Town festivals should be increased.

(Bild: iSomboon - stock.adobe.com)

The Hallein town festival was overshadowed by an attack by a Syrian: He is said to have cut two men with a beer bottle and a shard of glass. The Hallein FPÖ has now criticized the security concept at festivals. The Freedom Party is demanding more police presence and is receiving criticism from the SPÖ. 

A Syrian man is accused of attacking a security employee and the bar owner with a beer bottle and a shard in a bar between 2 and 3 a.m. after the Hallein town festival. The "Krone" reported.

The incident has now called the Hallein Freedom Party into action. The incident was discussed at a meeting of the municipal council last Thursday. FPÖ party leader Jasmin Maziborsky: "Our people must be able to feel safe in Hallein. Especially at the festivals. And we see the danger that this will soon no longer be the case. We need more police on site."

More security and "awareness" teams called for
Hallein's SPÖ city councillor Florian Koch replied that it was questionable that the FPÖ was now reacting to every incident with populism and calling for more police presence. The FPÖ could ask the state or federal government for more police officers. Deputy Mayor Josef Sailer (SPÖ) also countered: "Firstly, it was in a bar and a security man was injured - so the bar has security. Secondly, there were 14,000 people at the city festival. And one incident. That is of course regrettable, but by no means a threat."

Matthias Niederreiter, a new member of the KPÖ in Hallein, called for so-called "awareness teams" that could take on an observer role together with the police and organizers and intervene to calm things down if necessary. Thomas Solf, head of the Hallein FPÖ, says: "We are simply calling for the private security service to be increased at events."

Mayor Alexander Stangassinger concludes that he is willing to compromise: "Our municipal police force is well positioned. There was exactly one incident out of 14,000 visitors. I am open to suggestions for such awareness teams or more security. I take a critical view of more city police - the commander of the city police says he has enough staff."