Cost of the police operation: 336,723 euros against ethnic conflicts in Vienna

Cost of the police operation: 336,723 euros against ethnic conflicts in Vienna

A recent police operation in Vienna, triggered by ongoing conflicts between Syrian and Chechen youth, not only incurred high costs but also resulted in numerous arrests and charges. In the period from July 9th to 25th, emergency services from six federal states supported the Vienna police and were on duty for a total of 4,086 hours. The total expenditure for this measure amounted to an impressive 336,723 euros. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) made it clear that 196 complaints were registered and 23 people were arrested during these two weeks.

The crimes listed in the reports were diverse. In some cases, 41 of the 196 reports related to criminal law, which led to the arrest of twelve suspects. Even though tensions were high, the police said they were able to prevent further escalating situations. In one incident, a police officer was injured during a fall, but no weapon was used throughout the incident.

core of the conflict

A central trigger for the violent clashes was an incident in Arthaberpark in Vienna-Favoriten that occurred on June 3rd. There, a Chechen man was stabbed and critically injured, allegedly by Syrians. This incident further fueled the already existing tensions between the two groups. On July 1st there was another conflict on Dopschstrasse in Vienna-Floridsdorf, which would prove to be a harbinger of the escalations of violence that would follow.

The violent clashes reached their peak on the night of July 5th to 7th. In recent days there have been riots between several men, some of whom were armed, which initially took place in Brigittenau in the area of ​​Anton-Kummerer-Park and Klosterneuburger Straße. Just one day later there was another encounter at Meidling train station. A total of seven people were injured, four of them seriously. The last known incident occurred on July 10th at Floridsdorf train station. This spiral of violence has taken on alarming dimensions not only for those affected, but also for the residents of the affected districts, which is why the police were forced to react with intensive measures.

The background to the current situation is complex and not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, politicians are required to find a sustainable solution to this problem. The Interior Minister emphasizes the importance of a quick and effective response in order to avoid such violent escalations in the future. Further information on this topic and the background to the police actions can be found can be read here.