The event was organised by the Vienna branch of the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA), a far-right movement founded in Germany in 2014 to protest against what they see as the ‘Islamisation’ of the western world.
The group have organised previous events in Austria, with rallies in February in Vienna and Graz attracting several hundred supporters.
At the latest event on Saturday evening in Vienna’s Favoriten neighbourhood only around 20 people showed up and after a few minutes the participants called off the event.
One organiser of the event told Heute newspaper that he thought Viennese were “a bit lazy”.
Writing later on the PEGIDA Vienna Facebook page, one supporter wrote: “Where were you all then? Us 20 people felt lonely. Many thanks to the other 19 patriots.”
Anti-PEGIDA protesters also showed up on Saturday evening for a counter demostration against the far-right rally waving banners that read ‘Muslims and refugees welcome!’.
One protester from a the counter-demonstration told Heute that they want to “make it clear that racism will not be successful in Austria”.
According to Vice, one anti-PEGIDA demonstrator was arrested, possibly for trying to throw eggs at the rally.
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