Police in Austria intervene in pro-Palestinian demonstration at Vienna University

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA (AA) - A pro-Palestinian demonstration at Vienna University in Austria which had been going on for three days was dispersed late at night in a police raid, with three protesters being arrested.

The peaceful demonstration by university students, who set up tents at the Altes AKH Campus, was dispersed by the police.

Vienna Police, in a statement released on X, reported that tents belonging to students were confiscated and protesters were dispersed during the operation conducted late at night.

Details regarding the raid would be shared with the public later, the police said.

Following the unexpected raid, which was announced without any reason to disperse the demonstration on the first day of the encampment, a group gathered in front of the campus to protest the police action and show support for the students.

The group blocked the intersection in front of the campus and staged a sit-in, chanting slogans such as "Shame on the Vienna police" and demanded the release of the three detained protesters.

Pro-Palestine university demonstrations, which started at New York’s Columbia University in the US and spread to many countries around the world, were also joined by Vienna University students with a protest they initiated at the Altes AKH Campus on Monday.

On Wednesday, supporters of Israel also organized a demonstration against the peaceful Palestine solidarity demonstration.

Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community in Austria, had said that demonstrations in support of Palestine were dispersed by the police at universities in Germany, and a similar action should be taken in Vienna.

Vienna University also expressed its discomfort with the Palestine solidarity demonstration.