After the violence:

“It’s more than just quiet in Bischofshofen now”

Despite the improvements, the station area remains the focus of the city.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel/Pressefoto Scharinger © Daniel Scharinger)

In June, a group of young men beat a Kosovan man (21) into a coma on a platform at Bischofshofen train station. Since then, security guards have been patrolling the area - and it is now safer for the head of the village.

An act of violence at the train station in Bischofshofen caused quite a stir in the summer: citizens identified a crime problem in the area around the station, the municipality then hired a security service, which has been patrolling the area ever since. While the Salzburg provincial court will take up the case on Monday, the situation in terms of crime now looks different: "The issue has been resolved. The measures taken have had an effect," explains Mayor Hansjörg Obinger (SPÖ) when asked by the "Krone" newspaper.

The additional security service has worked very well. We will continue with this measure.

Bürgermeister Hansjörg Obinger (SPÖ)

What exactly happened on the platforms on June 23? A group of Kosovars, including the later victim (22), were gossiping with a girl. Her ex-boyfriend, a Serb (16), saw this and rounded up his friends - probably to give the Kosovar a beating out of jealousy. The teenagers brutally beat the 22-year-old. The violence caused his head to bang against the hard platform - more punches and kicks followed as the victim lay on the ground. The 22-year-old lost consciousness and lay in an artificial deep sleep for three days after the incident.

On Monday, the seven young people aged between 15 and 19 - two Austrians and two Serbs as well as one Bosnian, one Turk and one Slovene - will stand trial before a lay jury on charges of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm with permanent consequences.