Left-wing extremist attack on students at the University of Vienna causes horror!

Left-wing extremist attack on students at the University of Vienna causes horror!

On March 29, 2025, there was a violent incident at the University of Vienna in which around 30 left-wing extremists, including members of the Communist Student Association (KSV-LiLi), tried to prevent two representatives of the Ring of Freedom Students (RFS) from running for the ÖH elections. Loud OTS The RFS representatives were surrounded, harassed and attacked while collecting signatures. The attackers tried to steal the signature lists.

FPÖ student representative NAbg. Manuel Litzke expressed his horror at the incident and criticized the violence and attempts at intimidation by left-wing extremist groups. As part of his criticism, he emphasized that the top candidate of KSV-LiLi was actively involved in the attack. Litzke called for a respectful approach to democracy and freedom of expression as well as an immediate investigation into the incident and tough consequences for those responsible.

Political culture and left-wing extremism

The incidents at the University of Vienna highlight the current political culture at universities. Litzke expressed clear concerns about the state of this culture and specifically criticized the SPÖ Science and Research Minister Holzleitner for her inaction in the face of growing left-wing extremism at universities. He stressed the need for free and fair elections while praising the steadfastness of RFS representatives who continue to advocate for strong student representation despite the attacks.

Dealing with left-wing extremism has become increasingly important in recent years, even if academic discussion of this topic lags behind compared to right-wing extremism. bpb highlights that the perception of left-wing extremism in society is sometimes inconsistent. Violent behavior is often perceived as less problematic than right-wing violence. This may be due in part to a certain understanding of left-wing violence, particularly in self-defense situations.

Statistical classification of extremism

The academic and public debate about left-wing extremism is also influenced by the annual statistics from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), which require a differentiated look at violent acts. In 2022, a total of 3,847 left-wing extremist and 20,967 right-wing extremist crimes were recorded. While left-wing extremist violent acts fell from 987 in 2021 to 602 in 2022, right-wing extremist violent acts show a different trend, with higher violence intensity and larger numbers, around 1,016 in 2022. bpb points out that violent left-wing extremist groups often act against police officers and right-wing extremists, which influences public perception.

In summary, the incidents at the University of Vienna cannot be viewed in isolation. They reflect a broader debate about society's understanding and perception of left-wing extremism. The consequences of the latest incident could be far-reaching and call for a differentiated approach to the issue of extremism as a whole.