The Styrian State Police Directorate (LPD) announced on Friday that it has officially banned a meeting planned for Saturday related to the Palestine/Israel conflict.
A meeting announcement for October 14, 2023 with the title “Current developments in Israel/Palestine based on fundamental solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have been harshly oppressed for decades” was received on Thursday by the LPD Styria as security authority Graz location. According to the police, individual examination showed that the crowding reported in Graz should be banned. The reason: a threat to public order and security is expected.
In Vienna, a few hundred pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Stephansplatz on Wednesday despite a ban on demonstrations. Police surrounded the group and carried out identity checks; there were 304 complaints against participants.
Increased police presence and continuous threat analysis
Also in Graz people are preparing in case the demonstration takes place despite the ban: the Styrian police are prepared with an adequate number of emergency services for a possible operation next weekend. Furthermore, the general protection measures ordered since the beginning of the conflict were further reinforced. An increasing and preventive police presence of emergency and emergency units can be expected in public spaces. Monitoring measures for potentially threatened installations were also intensified.
However, there is currently no specific danger, the police emphasize. Current measures would be continually reviewed as part of a risk analysis, and all federal and state-level state security information would also be taken into account.