Vienna Festival Weeks: Poster with Male Couple Burned
The poster, which shows two naked men and whose placement at this location had been criticized on social media beforehand, was reinstalled on Thursday afternoon. The festival, which this year positions itself as the "Republic of Love," invites people to a nightly vigil including an overnight stay.
Festival Weeks Director Milo Rau reminded during the reinstallation of the poster, staged with lively media interest, that the subject with two young men holding each other tightly is a reference to a photo of the Bed-in by John Lennon and Yoko Ono against the Vietnam War. In addition to Anna Breit, the photographer of the festival's advertising campaign, a representative of a Ukrainian activist group from Vienna also spoke, expressing suspicion that the Russian embassy in Vienna at least condones the burning of the poster.
33-Year-Old Arrested
A 33-year-old man was arrested, the Vienna State Police Directorate announced on Thursday in response to an APA inquiry. The nationality of the man, who was sitting at the Hochstrahlbrunnen at Schwarzenbergplatz when the officers arrived, is unclear. The suspect was presented to a public health officer due to a suspected mental illness and then taken to a hospital. He received a report on suspicion of property damage, police spokeswoman Julia Schick reported. A passerby had notified the police emergency number about the incident on Wednesday at 11:40 a.m. When the officers arrived, the torn-down poster was still slightly burning. The officers extinguished it with the fire extinguisher from their patrol car, the spokeswoman explained.
Rau: "Destructive and Incomprehensible Act"
"It certainly affects us that vandalism occurs at this historic site, which is meant to remind us of the fight against fascism and the victims of Nazi violence. But we respond to this destructive and incomprehensible act with peaceful resistance, simply rehang the poster, and spend the night on site to protect it," Festival Weeks Director Milo Rau explained in a press statement. "To all those for whom this message is not clear enough, we invite you to discuss it with us. Let's turn the 'Day of Victory' into a day of love. Let's, exactly 80 years after the end of World War II, hold a Bed-in together: against war, hatred, and new fascism. For generosity, tolerance - and a night full of wonderful debates and dreams at Schwarzenbergplatz."
In recent days, well-known pro-Russian activists in Vienna have criticized the advertising campaign of the Festwochen: On Wednesday, for example, Dimitri Korenev commented in Russian on Facebook with "Disgusting at Schwarzenbergplatz" on a photo of the Festwochen poster against the backdrop of the Soviet war memorial. Natallia Netschai wrote of an "absolute scandal" and an "act of boundless disrespect" that such a poster is hanging precisely at Schwarzenbergplatz. This is a place dedicated to Soviet soldiers who gave their lives for the liberation of Austria in World War II.
Invitation to Opponents to Come and Discuss
Korenev and Netschai are not only administrators of one of the largest Russian-speaking Facebook groups in Austria, with their association "People in Resilience," they are also organizing a large event in close contact with the Russian embassy for Friday on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of "Victory Day" at Schwarzenbergplatz itself. In Russia, "Victory Day" over the Nazi troops is traditionally celebrated on a large scale.
At the event on Thursday afternoon, Rau explained that Festwochen research had revealed that "People in Resilience" is an organization controlled by Russia, indicating that Russia is apparently trying to influence the cityscape of Vienna. Nevertheless, they also invite members of the association to come by and discuss during the night that he and his supporters plan to spend in tents at Schwarzenbergplatz.
Since his "Moscow Trials" in 2013, the reenactment of the trial against Pussy Riot, Milo Rau has been banned from entering Russia. If the Vienna Festwochen were to take place in Russia, their organizers would have to expect serious consequences: In connection with a Kremlin-launched campaign for "traditional values," the Supreme Court in Moscow banned an "international LGBT movement" as extremist in 2023. The public display of posters like those of the Festwochen would, in all likelihood, be criminally prosecuted as extremism. Those involved would face several years of imprisonment in this case.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.