Knife attack in favorites: Security crisis meets Vienna!

Knife attack in favorites: Security crisis meets Vienna!

In the night of Sunday, April 13, 2025, there was an alarming incident in Vienna favorites, in which a 42-year-old native Turk threatened several passers-by with a knife. The police intervened quickly and was able to arrest the man in Hasengasse. Two police officers were slightly injured in the arrest. These events again raise questions about the security measures in the Austrian capital, especially with regard to the for years of knife prohibition zones.

The FPÖ security spokesman Gernot Darmann expressed extremely critical of the current security situation and the measures of the Interior Minister Karner. He described the existing betting zones as "bizarre and absurd" and thought they were "toothless". Darmann calls for urgent reforms, including an immediate asylum stop and the deportation of people who abuse Austria's hospitality. "The differences of opinion on dealing with crime have long since become an unbearable permanent condition," continued Darmann.

criticism of tolerance policy

In his statements, Darmann not only criticized the government parties ÖVP, SPÖ, Greens and Neos, but also the supposed "show policy" of Interior Minister Karner. According to Darmann, it is contradictory that the surveillance of good citizens and taxpayers should be intensified, while at the same time "illegal immigrants" come to Austria unhindered. This topic is in the context of current discussions about crime and security in society.

The police crime statistics (PKS) offers a framework to better understand the developments of criminal events in Austria. These statistics based on the Austrian Criminal Code records displayed cases and supports the planning of strategic criminological measures. All cases have been registered electronically since 2001, which enables a more precise analysis of the development of crime. The PKS also takes into account the display behavior of the population and the intensity of police controls.

The security reports, created by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ), provide information about the PKS and criminal policy developments. The last update of the PKS data comes from August 9, 2024 and illustrates that the security situation remains a central topic in the political discussion in Austria, especially with regard to the current incidents and the demands of the opposition.