Celebrities from Art and Culture Demand a Clear Stance in Dealing with Right-Wing Extremism

In an open letter from the Mauthausen Committee Austria (MKÖ) and the Upper Austrian Network against Racism and Right-Wing Extremism, prominent figures, especially from the arts and culture, have urged the government to take stronger action against right-wing extremism. The 76 signatories - among them Nobel Prize-winning author Elfriede Jelinek and painter Christian Ludwig Attersee - demand more speed in the National Action Plan and awareness of the Prohibition Act within the judiciary.

Record High of Right-Wing Extremist Crimes - Is the Government Reacting Too Slowly?

In 2024, there was an "all-time high" with 1,486 right-wing extremist crimes. Sporadic actions such as raids in the right-wing extremist scene are welcome, but "can in no way replace a National Action Plan, the development of which has been postponed for years!" criticized MKÖ Chairman Willi Mernyi in a statement on Wednesday. A comprehensive concept for effective combat against right-wing extremism is lacking. The development of a National Action Plan is planned, as it is included in the government program of the black-red-pink coalition. However, it is still not being developed, the letter criticizes.

Appeal to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice

The letter is specifically addressed to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ), criticizing that Austria's anti-fascist mandate is being increasingly neglected by security authorities and the judiciary. The organizations accuse parts of the police and the intelligence service of a "very right-leaning approach," which Karner should not tolerate. This includes the operation at the South Carinthian memorial site Peršmanhof.

The accusation against the judiciary is that cases of right-wing extremist crimes are increasingly being dismissed. In 2024, the number of convictions under the Prohibition Act decreased from 211 to 177 compared to the previous year, while the number of dismissals increased by a third from 1,529 to 2,022. This is a "development towards impunity," based on wrong decisions by the judiciary. Broad-based training measures are needed here to raise awareness of the importance of the Prohibition Act.

The letter was signed by numerous personalities from the arts and culture, such as actors Maria Hofstätter, Birgit Minichmayr, or Michael Ostrowski, but also by legal experts like Heinz Mayer and Maria Windhager. Additionally, representatives from, among others, the Catholic Action Austria, the NS Documentation Center Munich, and the IG Authors' Association signed the letter.

Support Also from the Opposition

Support also came from the Greens. "Instead of a consistent approach against right-wing extremists, we are increasingly seeing reprisals against anti-fascists," criticized right-wing extremism spokesperson Lukas Hammer in a statement. The Greens will therefore submit a motion for the creation of a National Action Plan against Right-Wing Extremism at the next National Council meeting.

Interior Ministry Rejects Criticism

The Interior Ministry rejected in a statement that the police would ignore crimes with a right-wing extremist background - this accusation is "arbitrary and false." The police act "at all levels" against every form of extremism. The Interior Ministry also pointed out that the annual right-wing extremism report has been reintroduced - and is commissioned through the Documentation Archive of the Austrian Resistance.

The criticism that work is not being done on the national action plan is also rejected. "The National Action Plan against Right-Wing Extremism is recorded in the government program," said the BMI. "With the tightening and amendment of the Prohibition Act, the expansion of the Symbols Act (including those of the Identitarian Movement), and the reintroduction of the right-wing extremism report by the DÖW, important foundations have already been created and form the basis for the National Action Plan against Right-Wing Extremism." The action plan will be "initiated promptly and implemented as provided in the government program."

Sporrer: Right-Wing Extremism as One of the Greatest Threats to the Rule of Law and Democracy

Justice Minister Sporrer said that right-wing extremism is one of the greatest threats to our rule of law and liberal democracy - "therefore, it is a central concern of mine to take consistent action against it."

She referred to steps already taken: "The judiciary has already taken important measures with the comprehensive amendment of the Prohibition Act and the decree for the detailed recording of bias-motivated crimes in the judiciary's IT system." Additionally, there are targeted training and further education offers for employees. Sporrer also recalled the development of a prevention program that specifically targets inmates who have been convicted under the Prohibition Act as part of extremism prevention. "We are, of course, continuing to work on measures," she said.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.