Stone throwing and smear attack: FPÖ office in Vienna-Meidling attacked!

Stone throwing and smear attack: FPÖ office in Vienna-Meidling attacked!

On Tuesday morning, the FPÖ office building in Vienna-Meidling was attacked with a slingshot. The incident, which occurred at Bonygasse 27 in the 12th district, resulted in an unknown perpetrator shooting at the building's windows with a steel slingshot. A photo shows a steel ball stuck in the safety glass, which proves the use of the slingshot. Luckily there were no injuries. The police have already started investigations and are looking for the perpetrator, who has not yet been identified. crown reports that this was not the only incident in the region that brought the FPÖ into the focus of negative reporting.

In another incident, the facade of the FPÖ building in Vienna-Meidling was daubed with the slogan “All of Vienna hates the FPÖ” and an obscene picture. The FPÖ, which complains about the constant attacks, described this action as a new peak in the incitement against their party. The Vienna FPÖ state party secretary Michael Stumpf and the district party leader Petra Steger strongly condemned the acts of vandalism and blamed political opponents for the defamation. Steger filed a report with the police, who are now investigating unknown persons. The FPÖ also pointed out that the costs of removing the graffiti would have to be borne by the homeowner. Today emphasized that the FPÖ expressed concerns that such damage could lead to physical attacks, recalling a knife attack at an FPÖ event last year.

Right-wing extremism and political violence in Austria

The latest incidents come in the context of increasing right-wing extremism in Austria. According to a security report from the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, over 1,000 crimes with a right-wing extremist background were documented in 2017. While 2017 saw a five percent decline compared to the previous year, the topic still remains relevant. The taz reports that convictions for right-wing extremist offenses have increased sharply since 2015. These acts primarily concern anti-Semitic and racist hate speech, with the majority of perpetrators being men.

The phenomenon of right-wing extremism in Austria also has historical roots, and modern populist parties, including the FPÖ, are increasingly formulating these issues in such a way that they do not make themselves punishable. Andreas Peham, an expert on right-wing extremism, confirms the continued influence of extremist ideologies, especially in times of crisis when vulnerability to such tendencies increases. Even if the FPÖ claims to prevent violent “right-wing protests,” it remains to be seen how long right-wing extremist groups will maintain their restraint as long as the FPÖ is in government.