Every year again

Burschenbundball and demonstration on Saturday in Linz

(Bild: P. Huber)

The annual Burschenbundball, which takes place this year on February 1 at the Palais Kaufmännischer Verein in Linz, will once again prompt the "Linz against the Right" alliance to demonstrate against the "networking meeting for right-wing extremists with elites from politics and business". LH Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) is once again the honorary patron of the ball. The third president of the provincial parliament, Peter Binder (SPÖ), will not be attending after his DJ faux pas.

Once again this year, the alliance has called on the governor to relinquish the honorary patronage of the ball. Provided there are no "legal grounds for exclusion" against the event and organizers, Stelzer would be happy to take over the honorary patronage for all balls, according to his office. However, he would not be attending in person on Saturday as he was unable to attend. The rectorate of Johannes Kepler University in Linz, on the other hand, had already decided at the end of 2019 that the university would no longer provide honorary patronage for the ball of the "national weapons student associations", according to its own information on the homepage, and would no longer do so for any balls in future.

Third state parliament president not a DJ for the alliance
Last year, the behavior of a Social Democrat was particularly irritating: While the then ooe. While Michael Lindner, then head of the Upper Austrian provincial party and current (still) provincial councillor, took part in the alliance's rally, a few hours later the third president of the provincial parliament and amateur DJ Peter Binder played at the after-party of the Burschenbundball in a pub in the city center. After internal party pressure, Binder announced that he would pay more attention "when I pursue my hobby." He also agreed to take part in the demonstration this year and to be available to the alliance as a DJ.

Binder is very musical

(Bild: Land OÖ)

"Long-agreed and unpostponable date"
But that won't be the case, as Binder said when asked. He has a "long-agreed appointment in Vienna that cannot be postponed" on February 1. In addition, the alliance had already informed him last year that it would forego his appearance or a donation. However, he supports, among others, "the social democratic freedom fighters and the concentration camp association, both co-organizers of the demonstration", he said. However, spokeswoman Eva Reiter was unaware of any official offer from the Third President of the State Parliament to the alliance.

350 to 500 participants registered
The demonstration on Saturday between 5.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. has been registered with the police with 350 to 500 participants. The march is to lead from the Ars Electronica Center to Martin Luther-Platz.