Academic Ball: Protests against FPÖ event broke out in the Hofburg!

Academic Ball: Protests against FPÖ event broke out in the Hofburg!

The controversial "academic ball" in the Vienna Hofburg officially started on Friday evening. Prominent members of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) were among the guests, including National Council President Walter Rosenkranz and Tyrol's state party chairman Markus Abwerzger. However, a central figure was missing: FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl had long since canceled his visit. The ball has been criticizing for years, since it is perceived by many as a meeting of the right-wing extremists, such as the reporting of oe24.at illustrated. Instead of rosary, a doctor opened the event this year.

At the same time, a protest demonstration against the ball took place in Vienna. Under the motto "Fire and flame the patriarchy: fight for sexism in Hofburg and state", hundreds of demonstrators gathered to express their displeasure with the event. According to the organizers of the demonstration, under which Axel Magnus is to be emphasized by the "offensive against the right", the protest should draw attention to the backward women and gender image of the ethnic fraternities. The police were deployed with several hundred officials, but the march was largely peaceful until the early evening, as Salzburg24.at

protests and traffic disruptions

The route of the demonstration led over the ring to Stephasplatz, where a final rally took place. Due to the protests and a ban on space around the Hofburg, the police expected larger traffic disruptions in the inner city. As early as 5:00 p.m., there were sections of the section, which significantly impaired the traffic flows in the city. Critics, including the Viennese Greens, expressed that the continuation of the ball in the Hofburg was a "fatal sign".

The past of the academic ball is characterized by violent protests, with partly violent arguments, especially in 2014. In the following years, however, the situation remained relatively quiet, even if the resentment against the German-national fraternities, which have been organizing the ball since 1952, is still great. This year the question remains whether the calm phase can continue or whether the former tensions flare up again, while prominent guests such as Martin Sellner, who is classified by the authorities as a right -wing extremist