Vienna needs military patrols in migration hotspots, says FPÖ leader in Vienna ahead of national elections

In response to rising gang violence in Vienna, Austria’s most popular party, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), is calling for the deployment of the army to the streets of the capital ahead of national elections on September 25.

“The only solution left to restore order is to use the army,” said Dominik Nepp, chairman of the Austrian Freedom Party in Vienna. He stressed that if the armed forces can protect embassies, they should also do so for ordinary people. According to Nepp, the state power has failed and is unable to stem the tide of violence caused by migrant gangs, making the army the only solution to restore order.

“The recent group crime has shown that security and public order in Vienna can no longer be guaranteed. Just as the armed forces can protect embassies, they must also be able to protect ordinary people,” Nepp told Austrian public broadcaster ORF, adding that 100 soldiers could immediately restore order to the city’s streets.

According to the FPÖ president in Vienna, the armed forces should be deployed in migration hotspots where crimes against life and public crime have recently risen sharply. As examples, he cited Vienna’s notorious immigrant district of Favoriten, the Reumannplatz metro station in the city centre, the Praterstern and Handelskai train stations and the entire section of the U6 metro line.

As Vienna News International reports: “Violent clashes between Syrian and Chechen youth gangs have rocked the streets of Vienna in recent months. Initially seen as ethnic tensions, the conflicts have thrown the city into turmoil.”

Nepp said that bringing soldiers into the capital was a matter of political will and that Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig had all the power to do so. It is only a matter of time before the armed forces are deployed, so it is better to do it as soon as possible.

The politician also said that the FPÖ would not reject migration as long as it was legal and regulated.

“The Austrian Freedom Party wants to put an end to uncontrolled family reunification and the abuse of asylum rights, while granting citizenship only to immigrants who are well educated and have successfully integrated into Austrian society.”

The number of reported crimes in Vienna’s immigrant districts has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the latest police statistics, an average of 460 crimes are committed in the Austrian capital every day, and around 52 percent of suspects have a migration background. In addition, the government plans to lower the age of criminal liability to 12 due to the deterioration of public safety.

The use of the military in public spaces is certainly not unprecedented in Europe. Earlier this year, Sweden deployed armed forces to the streets to curb an unprecedented wave of crime.

Vienna’s school system is also overloaded, with a third of all pupils now being Muslim and more than half having a migration background. Many of them do not speak German or speak it very poorly. Increasing violence and disorder in classrooms has led to teachers leaving Vienna’s school system en masse.

The FPÖ currently has 27 percent in the polls, making it the most popular party. The national elections will take place on September 25.