In response to soaring gang violence in Vienna, Austria’s most popular party, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), is calling for the military to be deployed on the streets of the capital right before national elections on Sept. 25.
“The only solution left to restore order is the deployment of the military,” said Dominik Nepp, chairman of the Austrian Freedom Party in Vienna. He stressed that if the armed forces can protect embassies, they must do the same for ordinary people. According to Nepp, state power has failed and is unable to stem the tide of violence caused by migrant gangs, leaving the military as the only solution to restore order.
“The recent group crimes have shown that security and public order are no longer guaranteed in Vienna. Just as the armed forces can protect embassies, they must also be able to protect ordinary people,” Nepp told Austrian public broadcaster ORF, adding that a hundred soldiers could immediately bring order to the city’s streets.
According to the FPÖ president in Vienna, the armed forces should be deployed in migration hotspots where the number of crimes against life and public crime has risen sharply in recent times. He cited as examples Vienna’s notorious immigrant district, Favoriten, the Reumannplatz metro station in the city center, the Praterstern and Handelskai railway stations, and the entire section of the U6 metro line.
As Vienna News International reports, “In recent months, Vienna’s streets have been rocked by violent clashes between Syrian and Chechen youth gangs. These conflicts, which were initially perceived as ethnic tensions, have thrown the city into turmoil.”
Nepp said that bringing soldiers into the capital was a matter of political will and that Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig had all the powers to do so. It is only a matter of time before the armed forces are deployed, so it is better to do it as soon as possible.
On the subject, the politician also said that the FPÖ would not reject migration as long as it was legal and regulated.
“The Austrian Freedom Party wants to put an end to uncontrolled family reunification and the abuse of asylum rights, while granting citizenship only to immigrants who are properly educated and successfully integrated into Austrian society.”
The number of reported crimes in Vienna’s immigrant districts has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the latest police statistics, an average of 460 crimes are committed every day in the Austrian capital, and around 52 percent of suspects have a migrant background. In addition, the government is planning to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years because of the deterioration in public safety.
The deployment of the army in public spaces is by no means unprecedented in Europe. Earlier this year, Sweden deployed armed forces to the streets to stem an unprecedented crime wave.
Vienna’s school system is also overwhelmed, with now one-third of all students being Muslim and over half having a migrant background. Many of them do not speak German or speak it very poorly. Increasing violence and disorder in classrooms has led to teachers quitting the Vienna school system in droves.
Currently, the FPÖ is at 27 percent in the polls, making it the most popular party. National elections are taking place on Sept. 25.