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ANTI-SEMITISM

Austrian President denounces ‘arson attack’ in Jewish section of cemetery

Austrian police are investigating possible arson after a hall in the Jewish part of the Vienna cemetery was damaged by fire. Politicians including the Chancellor and President have denounced rising anti-Semitism.

Published: 1 November 2023 14:15 CET

Politicians in Austria have described a recent fire in the Jewish part of Vienna cemetery as an

Politicians in Austria have described a recent fire in the Jewish part of Vienna cemetery as an "attack" (Photo by ALEX HALADA / AFP)

Austrian police on Wednesday were investigating a fire that damaged a hall at the Jewish part of the Vienna cemetery, with politicians condemning anti-Semitic violence.

Cities in Europe have seen a spike in anti-Semitic attacks in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, a fire broke out at the Jewish part of the Vienna cemetery, damaging a ceremony hall, officers said.

The cemetery walls were sprayed with anti-Semitic symbols, police added.

“We have launched an investigation,” a police spokeswoman told AFP, adding they were still probing if arson was the cause of the fire.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said “(I) strongly condemn the attack on the Jewish cemetery in Vienna”.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in our society… I hope the perpetrators are identified quickly,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

President Alexander Van der Bellen said he was “deeply shocked” by the “arson attack”.

“The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Austria has increased significantly in recent weeks. That has to stop!” he wrote on X.

Die Nachricht von einem Brandanschlag auf den jüdischen Teil des Wiener Zentralfriedhofs schockiert mich zutiefst. Die Zahl der antisemitischen Vorfälle in Österreich ist in den letzten Wochen signifikant gestiegen. Das muss aufhören!

— A. Van der Bellen (@vanderbellen) November 1, 2023

Several Israeli flags have also been torn down recently, with police investigating the incidents.

Israel has bombarded the Palestinian territory of Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants, which killed around 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

Some 8,800 people, two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza, the health ministry in the Hamas controlled territory said in its latest toll.

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When are police officers in Austria allowed to use their weapons?

Austrian police officers, like their counterparts in many countries, are equipped with firearms as part of their law enforcement duties. However, the use of these weapons is strictly regulated by law, with clear guidelines and limitations in place to ensure public safety and accountability.

Recent incidents have brought renewed attention to these regulations, sparking debate and discussion about when and how police officers are authorised to use force, including the use of firearms. Despite the recent events – with two deaths after suspects were shot by the police within two weeks, the number of such incidents in Austria is not high.

READ ALSO: What rules does Austria have on gun ownership?

In 2022, weapons were used 654 times by officers in 213 different incidents. In many incidents different police used their firearms and often more than once.

In those incidents some 137 people were left slightly injured, four were seriously injured, and no one was killed, according to a Der Standard report.

Provisional figures for 2023 show 328 uses of weapons in 202 different incidents. Sixty-five people were slightly injured, three were seriously injured, and two people were shot dead.

Looking back over a longer period of time, in the past 16 years, 18 people have died as a result of police use of firearms.

What are the rules?

The use of service weapons in Austria is regulated by the Weapons Use Act (Waffengebrauchsgesetz) of 1969, which states that law enforcement agencies such as police officers and municipal police officers may use weapons in cases of “just self-defence”, the report said.

For example, to overcome resistance to an official act, to make an arrest or to prevent the escape of an arrested person. Even then, the use of weapons is only permitted by law “if harmless or less dangerous measures”, including the threat of using weapons, pursuing a fleeing person, the use of physical force or milder means such as handcuffs, “appear unsuitable or have proven to be ineffective.”

READ ALSO: Is Vienna a safe city to visit?

Only the least dangerous weapon may be used if various weapons are available – service weapons also include tear gas or batons. The purpose of using weapons against people may only be to “render the target incapable of attacking, resisting or fleeing”.

According to the Weapons Use Act, a service weapon is permitted in defence of a person to suppress a riot or insurrection, as well as in some instances of arrest or to prevent an escape. And to arrest or prevent the escape of “an insane person who is generally dangerous to the safety of the person or property”.

In any case, whenever the police fire their weapons, the incidents are the subject of internal investigations by the Investigation and Complaints Office for Allegations of Abuse at the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK-EBM). The authority will decide whether the case was an instance of self-defence and whether the use of a pistol was justified.

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