a Budapestville Meanwhile, a demonstration was organized in Vienna to ease severe restrictions due to the Coronavirus. According to Courrier, the event was organized by the Austrian far-right party, which began as a peaceful prayer, and in the end more than a thousand gathered and clashed with the police. No injuries were reported so far, and the police quickly brought the situation under control.
According to Corrier, around 60 people gathered at the Volksgarten to peacefully recite the Lord’s Prayer. Slowly, then, there were more and more people, over a thousand at noon, and instead of our Father, they chanted the rhymes “We the People” and “Kurtz must go.” The protest demanded the departure of Chancellor Sebastian Curtis and the easing of restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus epidemic.
The police rushed with great force to the scene and asked people to move away from them and wear masks. According to field reports, there was also a brief clash between protesters and law enforcement authorities, but police became in control within 15 minutes.
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Photo Gallery: It started as a peaceful protest, and turned into a violent demonstration Photo: Herbert Neubauer / AFP
The archdiocese of Vienna had earlier warned of “a demonstration disguised as a Christian march”, which was described as a violation of religious freedom.
By the way, 17 demonstrations were recorded in Vienna over the weekend, 15 of which were already banned on Friday. Then the Austrian far-right party, FPÖ, announced that it would organize a demonstration against the ban on demonstrations – this was also banned by the authority. Police justification was in all cases a “major breach”, as the coronavirus epidemic also banned events in Vienna. Demonstrators can be fined up to 720 euros.
Despite the troubling developments, we urge all government critics to exercise caution, writes FPÖ President Herbert Kickle on the community page.
(Cover photo: Alex Halada / AFP)
