Process against GAK hooligans: racket or innocent fans?

Process against GAK hooligans: racket or innocent fans?

Dietrichsteinplatz, Graz, Österreich - On March 27, 2025, the trial against 21 followers of the Graz AK (GAK) began in Graz, which are charged with violent arguments after a Bundesliga game last summer. In the incident that occurred on August 17, 2024 after the game against Blau-Weiß Linz, around 50 GAK fans are said to have moved to the city center to look for so-called storm fans. The prosecutor Ines Eichwalder describes the accused as a "thug group" who uses football as a guise of violence. During the attack, at least two people were passed out, and an uninvolved suffered injuries from a glass bottle.

The group of suspected GAK supporters, which are up to 47 years old and mostly come from Styria, was masked and equipped with gloves and tooth protection. At Dietrichsteinplatz, where the GAK fans met three storm fans, one of these storm fans was so heavily attacked that it was passed and kicked passed out. The flight was also risky for other people present; One of them was attacked with a beer bottle while another man was beaten together in front of a supermarket.

accusation and defense

The accusation is severe community violence. Defense doubts that an individual guilt is detectable and argues that the rotting did not target violence. Many defendants were silent during the advance procedure, some vehemently deny the allegations. It is also questioned whether there was an "appointment to violence" at all, since it was supposedly common to go home in groups after a game.

The process that takes place in the jury courtyard is scheduled for a total of five days. A judgment is expected for the end of next week. The expected penalty is up to two years in prison for the accused, with up to three years in prison for supposed ringleader.

Such violent incidents are a warning signal for society. Experts emphasize that the mixing of sport and violence should not find any space in this form. Further information about violence prevention in the context of football is provided at Laola1 and Kurier .