Trial in Eisenstadt

A polite rioter

The Syrian knocked timidly on the door of the courtroom.

(Bild: HS/Krone KREATIV)

Impaired by addictive substances, a 28-year-old kicked at police officers and spat at them. "Two isolated episodes of intoxication", according to a court expert. The man from Burgenland seems to have reformed. 

The accused appeared at the Eisenstadt Regional Court without a lawyer - perhaps also because the 28-year-old studied law in Syria before docking in Austria in 2021 and now works as a hairdresser as a recognized refugee.

"Everything is new"
He was not used to alcohol, cannabis and cocaine two years ago, when a work colleague supplied him with all kinds of substances several times. "I wasn't doing so well mentally back then. Everything was new. And I missed my parents, my two little sisters, who are still in Syria."

Officers insulted
The police had to be called out twice because the man had gone on the rampage - in Mattersburg and in Neusiedl am See. He insulted the officers in Arabic, kicked at them and spat at them before he was pinned to the ground. The video of the second operation was played in the courtroom.

The hairdresser was embarrassed as he watched it, holding his hands in front of his face. "I wasn't in my right mind and didn't know what I was doing," he said. "I'm ashamed and ready to accept any punishment. Believe me, Madam Judge, I didn't come to this country to cause problems. I want to integrate."

"Not sane"
Because the incidents happened two years ago, nothing has happened since then and the court expert classified him as "not sane at the time of the crime", the Syrian got off with a conditional prison sentence: five months conditional for three years. Plus 250 euros in compensation for a police officer whom he had injured on the thumb. He agreed.