The SPÖ clearly distanced itself at federal and state level, sharp criticism came from the People’s Party. The ÖVP-related action community (AG) called for resignations on Thursday.Vienna. The Viennese SPÖ students justify their claim in Monday’s post with the emergence of the police in direct connection with that of capitalism, the police “served then as now to suppress mass protests of the working class”. In Austria, she also served “as a willing tool for both Austrofascism and National Socialism,” a legacy that far too often shows up in so-called “individual cases.”
criticism of the system
The hashtag #1312 was set for this, an encoding of the slogan “All cops are bastards” (ACAB). According to media reports, Toma Khandour, chairwoman of the Students’ Union (ÖH) at the University of Vienna, is said to have also used the wording in a comment that has since been deleted. In a “clarification posting” on Wednesday, the Vienna VSStÖ representatives emphasized that their criticism was not directed at individuals, but at the system. For a just society, however, “a rethinking of the existing system is necessary”.
demands for resignation
The AG reacted on Thursday with the demand for a resignation not only from Khandour: “If this association represents such anti-democratic, inhuman and disrespectful views, the chairmen of the Vienna ÖHs must resign their office immediately,” said AG federal chairman Markus Baurecht. Calling the civil servants bastards is a transgression that cannot be accepted. The day before, ÖVP General Secretary Laura Sachslehner had spoken of an absolutely unacceptable attack on the executive. According to the broadcast, the demand for the abolition of the police is a “fundamental attack on the cornerstones of our democracy” for the head of the ÖVP in Vienna and former Vice President of the Vienna State Police, Karl Mahrer.
SPÖ distances itself
On Wednesday, SPÖ federal manager Christian Deutsch and SPÖ Vienna state party secretary Barbara Novak had already distanced themselves from the “completely unacceptable” posting by the Vienna VSStÖ. Especially in times of the Corona crisis, the police are doing excellent work under the most difficult conditions with great commitment and a lot of responsibility, for which the officials should be shown appreciation, thanks and respect, says Deutsch. Novak called the police “a pillar of our democracy” in the broadcast. Lower Austria’s SPÖ head of state, Franz Schnabl, called the labeling of police officers as “bastards” a “crossing of borders that cannot be accepted”.
Source: Nachrichten
