State Security Council Met After Major Police Operation in Vorchdorf

Following the large police operation on Saturday at a property in Vorchdorf (Gmunden district), where 19 people apparently wanted to conduct weapons exercises, the State Security Council in Upper Austria met on Wednesday. However, more about the background and motivation of those involved was not made public even afterwards. The SPÖ announced parliamentary inquiries on the matter.

The witness had raised the alarm via emergency call because some people were handling assault rifles at a farm. When several patrols, the Cobra task force, and the Rapid Intervention Group arrived, numerous armed individuals fled into the house. The group claimed they wanted to conduct exercises. According to investigative authorities, around 50 semi-automatic weapons, some disassembled and hidden, were found. The State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism was also on site, but investigations regarding extremism or state denial "yielded no results."

Praise for the Executive

The State Security Council met on Wednesday. Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) praised the actions of the executive afterwards. "The police reacted quickly, decisively, and prudently in this situation - exactly as the people in Upper Austria can expect," he emphasized. "The safety of the population is the top priority." He promised that every case would be carefully examined and fully clarified. "Where there is a need for action, it will be taken quickly and efficiently - but if there is no violation of the law, there is no legal recourse," Stelzer said, noting that this is "a fundamental principle of the rule of law that we respect and uphold."

The SPÖ announced parliamentary inquiries to "fully clarify the background." The state's monopoly on violence must not be undermined or questioned by private armed groups, said the red state councilor Martin Winkler, who also demanded that "especially allegedly involved associations and their organizational bodies be thoroughly examined." "When gatherings of people with heavy weapons appear publicly in Upper Austria, all alarm bells must ring," emphasized SPÖ club chairwoman Sabine Engleitner-Neu.

Questions from the Greens

The Greens see it similarly. For club chairman Severin Mayr, much remains unclear: "What ideology unites the members, why do they run away when the police arrive and disassemble the weapons?" he demanded full clarification and consequences. Furthermore, the Greens insist on a further tightening of the weapons law to "finally significantly reduce the enormous number of legal weapons in Austria."

According to the Wels public prosecutor's office, the decisive factor in determining whether criminal acts are present is whether the individuals have a gun license or a firearms ownership card. With a gun license, one is allowed to carry the weapon, while with an ownership card, it is only permitted to transport the weapon from home to a shooting range and back. It is also crucial whether the private property was fenced, meaning not accessible to everyone.

(APA/Red)

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