After the riots on Halloween night in Linz, Governor Thomas Stelzer (VP), as reported, convened the State Security Council. This committee meets today. Linz Mayor Klaus Luger (SP), who was invited as a guest, expects “a clear commitment to our police being given more opportunities to intervene in the run-up to events, but also to prevent them from happening”. In addition, the head of the city is for “an analysis of the criminals, also a commitment that this is not a problem for a single city like Linz, but that other communities in Upper Austria are also massively affected”.
As reported, a group of young people, mostly from Syria and Afghanistan, set off firecrackers and threw the pyrotechnic objects in the direction of passers-by. Some rioters are said to have thrown firecrackers in the direction of the tram overhead lines. For safety reasons, the electricity was turned off. Luckily, passers-by were not injured, but two police officers were. Firecrackers were also set off the following evening. The young people may have arranged to meet for the riots via TikTok. According to the police, two-thirds of the rioters live in Linz, and one-third traveled extra on Halloween night: from the surrounding communities, from Gmunden and Sattledt. Two perpetrators came to Linz from Lower Austria.
The State Security Council does not have far-reaching powers, primarily because “maintaining public peace, order and security” is a federal matter. Accordingly, resolutions of the State Security Council are primarily “recommendations”. The Upper Austrian governor is the chairman. Likewise, each party represented in the Landtag may send two representatives. The board also includes the state office director, the state police director, the Upper Austrian Military Commander, the State Fire Brigade Commander and the Red Cross President. The district authorities also send a representative.
New Year’s Eve cancelled
As announced yesterday, there will be no official New Year’s Eve celebrations on Linz’s main square for the third time in a row. The reason is – contrary to what is communicated in some media – not the Halloween riots. “We don’t allow ourselves to be brought to our knees just because chaotic people announce they’re going to cause a riot,” says Luger. The cancellation is rather due to the change in leisure time since the corona crisis. Many people would avoid big events, which is why the organizers decided weeks ago not to organize a party.
Source: Nachrichten
