An initially quiet day of the demonstration in Vienna got out of control on Saturday afternoon. If the announced events by opponents of the corona measures had started as stand rallies, the crowd finally made their way through the city center unannounced. Barriers have also been broken. Although there were significantly fewer people than last on the road, the situation was still confusing. There were seven arrests, over 100 reports, and one policeman injured.
A few hundred rally participants set off on spontaneous marches through the city center based on a stand of the anti-vaccine party MFG on Schwarzenbergplatz, at which, according to the police, around 2000 people had gathered. After the rally ended at 3 p.m., the police blocked the direct route to the ring, but the demonstrators reached the Ringstrasse via detours, for example via Karlsplatz.
A demo train made its way to Heldenplatz and from there via Kohlmarkt and Graben to Stephansplatz, where the 150 to 200-person gathering was broken up by the police. Drums, megaphones and flags were also removed.
Apparently, a targeted attempt was made to disrupt the shopping weekend. The police said that seven people were arrested at the demonstrations for resisting state violence or assaulting them.
Demos also in Linz and Steyr
At a demonstration in Linz with around 300 participants, according to the police, there were eleven reports on Sunday afternoon, and one participant was briefly arrested. From 5 p.m., a chain of lights from MFG followed from the Nibelungen Bridge over the Untere Donaulände, over the railway bridge and back to the Nibelungen Bridge. 1000 people were registered.
In Steyr, the MFG organized a rally at 3 p.m. on the town square with around 100 registered participants.
At 6 p.m. the traditional Corona critics’ walk through Steyr followed, because it was already 50. The rush was great. The Steyr police reported around 3000 participants in the evening, most of whom were not wearing masks. Originally, the police had expected around 1000 participants.
In Braunau there was a rally from 5 p.m. for which 400 participants were registered.
Source: Nachrichten
