Vienna demonstrates loudly against the return of right -wing extremists!

Vienna demonstrates loudly against the return of right -wing extremists!

Wien, Österreich - Today, on February 4, 2025, tens of thousands of people gather in the downtown Vienna for the “demo against the right”. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the first black and blue government, the organizers expect up to 15,000 participants. The peaceful mood is confirmed by the police, which is used with numerous forces and drones. There are short-term road and traffic disruptions, especially in the area of the ring lines, which causes the Viennese lines to recommend alternative transport options such as the subway, as [krone.at] reported.

story is repeated

The "Demo against Right" is organized by the group "It is Thursday", whose co -organizer Kurto Wendt is reminiscent of the protests from 2000. At that time, the first black and blue government was engaged under Jörg Haider, and Wendt emphasizes that right-wing extremist ideologies have lost nothing in a government. Even then, the government's arrival was made more difficult by protests when demonstrators forced the government to get to the place of research underground. Wendt warns that the current political and social circumstances are similarly dangerous, since Herbert Kickl from the FPÖ is now in power, and is concerned about the rights of marginalized groups, including refugees and queer, as well as about press freedom in Austria.

In 2000, the Thursday demonstrations, which were initially directed against racist and xenophobic positions of the FPÖ, enjoyed great participation. Historically, these protests are considered crucial for the political landscape of Austria. Even now there are great concerns about a potential coalition between the Övp and FPÖ. Wendt calls on the ÖVP to distance itself from the right, since a majority in the National Council can also be possible without the FPÖ. The demonstration is also seen as a warning about a step backwards in political culture and mobilizes many people again, which is reminiscent of the protest traditions of the past few years, as [Wikipedia] documents.