FPÖ leader Nepp calls for a clear line against clan crime in Vienna!

FPÖ leader Nepp calls for a clear line against clan crime in Vienna!

On December 10, 2024, an incident in Vienna, especially in Floridsdorf, made headlines when FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp denounced the clan crime of a Syrian family. Nepp unequivocally called for the immediate deportation of all family members: “It cannot be the case that they behave like savages on our streets, setting cars on fire and threatening people,” said the politician. Andreas Nepp is of the opinion that the security authorities have now lost control of the situation and criticized both the ÖVP and the SPÖ for their alleged failures in security policy. The steady rise in clan crime, particularly by groups from Syria, Afghanistan and Chechnya, is an extremely worrying trend, he underlines, as police are often provoked by self-proclaimed clan bosses in the media.

The threat from clan structures

According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, the danger from large ethnic families is also real in Austria. These families often live according to their own laws and undermine the rule of law by funding themselves through serious crime. In a conference that took place in Salzburg from September 20th to 23rd, 2022, the challenges posed by such clans were discussed. The deputy director of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Manuel Scherscher, warned: “Parallel societies undermine all three powers of a state at the same time and are therefore an enormous danger to democracy.” It is therefore crucial to pursue a multidisciplinary approach to combating such crime that brings together the police, science and society. The surveys show that the intimidation of witnesses and victims by members of these clans is particularly problematic, especially by young men from large Chechen families who act as self-appointed moral guardians and put pressure on the community.

The current cases of fraud caused by these clan structures and the frequent use of violence show that the threat is still present. Compliance with the legal order and the protection of citizens are the priority, and it remains to be hoped that the political actors recognize the urgency of the situation and act so that security in Austria does not erode further.

For more information about clan crime in Austria you can read the reporting from APA OTS and the analysis of the Federal Criminal Police Office read.