This means that all ringleaders have been taken out of circulation. A nine-millimeter pistol was also confiscated during the raids, Gerhard Winkler, head of the investigative department of the State Criminal Police Office, told the APA on Thursday.
In addition to the firearm, a gas pistol, six knives, seven cell phones, two pepper sprays, four computers and a car were also confiscated. The nine-millimeter weapon was probably used during the Wild West scenes that took place in the Anton Kummerer Park in Vienna-Brigittenau on the night of July 6. Young men from Syria and Chechnya had gathered there and attacked each other with wooden slats, pepper sprays, knives and firearms at around 9:45 p.m., injuring three people.
“All ringleaders investigated”
“It is certain that at least six shots were fired,” said Winkler on the sidelines of a media event late Thursday afternoon at Vienna’s Praterstern with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), Police President Gerhard Pürstl and the head of the Youth Crime Task Force (EJK), Dieter Csefan. “This means that all the ringleaders have been identified,” said the Interior Minister.
The four arrests that have now been made public are believed to be a Syrian, two Russians of Chechen descent and an Austrian. The arrests of two Syrians, a Chechen and a Croatian with Turkish roots had already been reported in the media. They are all said to have been involved in the armed clashes in June and July in several districts of Vienna, which kept the police busy this summer. The escalation of violence has recently sparked widespread discussion.
After the incidents, a system for monitoring public spaces was developed, with 70 to 80 officers dedicated exclusively to monitoring public spaces, stressed State Police President Pürstl. “The situation we had at the beginning of July no longer exists in this form today,” said the head of the State Police Directorate. Pürstl announced that the police would continue to apply pressure “until we have certainty that rising crime, stabbings in public places and socially unacceptable behavior will not flare up again.”
“Ethnic conflicts” and “hate in chat groups”
On Thursday, Csefan spoke of “ethnic conflicts” in which loose groups attacked each other and “also stirred up hatred in chat groups.” In this context, a total of eight ringleaders were tracked down and arrested. The incidents in Brigittenau, Meidling, Favoriten and Floridsdorf should now be cleared up. Winkler added that the investigations are not yet complete.
The main catalyst for the violent conflicts is said to have been a Chechen who was allegedly stabbed and critically injured by Syrians on June 3 in Arthaberpark in Vienna-Favoriten. A confrontation then broke out on July 1 in Dopschstrasse in Vienna-Floridsdorf. The conflict climaxed on the weekend of July 5 to 7 when the rival young men escalated into violence at night. Several men, some of them armed, first attacked each other on July 5 and 6 in Brigittenau in the Anton-Kummerer-Park/Klosterneuburger Strasse area, and then just one day later at Meidling train station. A total of seven people were injured in the gang fights, four of them seriously. The last incident occurred on July 10 at Floridsdorf train station.
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Vienna Cracks Down on Gang Violence: Ringleaders Arrested and Weapons Seized
The Austrian capital of Vienna has seen a surge in gang violence in recent weeks, with multiple incidents of armed clashes and stabbings reported in various districts. However, in a major breakthrough, the authorities have announced that they have taken all ringleaders out of circulation, and confiscated a haul of weapons, including a 9mm pistol.
According to Gerhard Winkler, head of the investigative department of the State Criminal Police Office, a total of four arrests have been made, including a Syrian, two Russians of Chechen descent, and an Austrian. The arrests are believed to be linked to the armed clashes that took place in several districts of Vienna in June and July, which left seven people injured, four of them seriously.
The police have also seized a significant amount of weapons, including the 9mm pistol, a gas pistol, six knives, seven cell phones, two pepper sprays, four computers, and a car. The 9mm weapon is believed to have been used during the violent clashes in the Anton Kummerer Park in Vienna-Brigittenau on the night of July 6.
“Ethnic Conflicts” and “Hate in Chat Groups”
The authorities have identified “ethnic conflicts” as the primary motivation behind the gang violence, with loose groups attacking each other and stirring up hatred in chat groups. Dieter Csefan, head of the Youth Crime Task Force, revealed that a total of eight ringleaders were tracked down and arrested, and the incidents in Brigittenau, Meidling, Favoriten, and Floridsdorf are now being investigated.
The main catalyst for the violent conflicts is believed to be a Chechen who was allegedly stabbed and critically injured by Syrians on June 3 in Arthaberpark in Vienna-Favoriten. The conflict escalated over the following weeks, culminating in the violent clashes in July.
Police Cracks Down on Gang Violence
In response to the surge in gang violence, the authorities have ramped up their efforts to monitor public spaces. State Police President Gerhard Pürstl announced that a system for monitoring public spaces has been developed, with 70 to 80 officers dedicated exclusively to monitoring public spaces. The police have also vowed to continue applying pressure “until we have certainty that rising crime, stabbings in public places, and socially unacceptable behavior will not flare up again.”
The authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate gang violence and will do everything in their power to keep the citizens of Vienna safe. The efforts of the police have already begun to pay off, with the situation in Vienna now under control.
Key Takeaways
All ringleaders involved in the gang violence have been taken out of circulation.
A haul of weapons, including a 9mm pistol, has been confiscated.
The authorities have identified “ethnic conflicts” as the primary motivation behind the gang violence.
The police have ramped up their efforts to monitor public spaces, with 70 to 80 officers dedicated exclusively to this task.
* The authorities have vowed to continue applying pressure to ensure that gang violence does not flare up again.
By cracking down on gang violence and confiscating weapons, the authorities in Vienna are taking a firm stance against criminal activity and ensuring the safety of their citizens.
