More knife attacks than 10 years ago

While 1,524 crimes were reported in 2013, there were 2,393 in 2022, according to crime statistics. However, the increase had already occurred by 2016, when 2,530 attacks with knives or other stabbing weapons were reported, reported “Die Presse” (Wednesday edition). Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) is planning a ban on weapons in public spaces after recent knife attacks.

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Since 2016, the annual number of reports of violent crimes involving the use of stabbing weapons has ranged in waves between 2,100 and around 2,500 reports, according to data from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK), which regularly publishes crime statistics for the previous year in the spring. In the case of violent crimes involving firearms, however, after 2017 there was a decline from more than 500 to 600 reported cases annually to fewer than 400 crimes since then (2022: 305). The use of cutting weapons remained constant over the years at around 600 reports (2022: 598).

Proposal for a general ban on weapons

Karner commissioned experts from the Ministry of the Interior and state police departments to draw up a legislative proposal for a general ban on weapons in public spaces, as he announced last week. This could prohibit the carrying of certain knives. There is currently the possibility for security authorities to issue weapons ban zones in certain places – this is currently the case at the Praterstern in Vienna and in two zones in Innsbruck.

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