General Knife Ban, More Police: This is How Vienna is Supposed to Become Even Safer According to Ludwig
Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) provided an interim report on Thursday regarding the intensified security measures in the city. He emphasized that while Vienna is "one of the safest metropolises worldwide," further measures to enforce the "Vienna House Rules" are necessary. Security must be particularly strengthened at "central public locations."
Focus Areas of the Vienna Police in Nine Vienna Districts
The city announced new focus actions two months ago. Since then, according to Ludwig, 18 operational days have been conducted in nine Vienna districts. He presented the results at a press conference at Yppenplatz in Vienna-Ottakring, a district that has recently seen an increase in violent confrontations. Last July, two people were seriously injured in a shooting there.
Ludwig Calls for More Police Officers for Vienna and a Capital City Bonus
Ludwig renewed his call to the Ministry of the Interior for additional police forces for Vienna. The issue is not primarily about rising crime, but about the numerous events and demonstrations that take place in the capital. "The Vienna police accompany around 11,000 demonstrations and events annually and worked 2.5 million overtime hours last year," said Ludwig.
Currently, the Vienna police manage about two-thirds of all police services in the country with only 25 percent of the nationwide personnel. The city already relieves officers by taking over administrative tasks such as passport or registration services and parking management. Additionally, in 2024, the Vienna task force was strengthened to assist with controls.
Ludwig once again advocated for a "capital city bonus" – an additional financial support for police officers working in Vienna.
Knife Ban to Be Extended to All of Vienna
In light of positive experiences with existing weapon-free zones, Ludwig is calling for a general ban on knives in all public spaces and public transport. "Knives have no place in public spaces," declared the SPÖ politician. There is also support for this measure from other mayors.
Additionally, on February 7, a new alcohol-free zone at Franz-Jonas-Platz in Vienna-Floridsdorf was introduced.
New Measures Against Street Racing and Problematic Houses
In the coming weeks, there will be increased action against illegal street racing. The city plans targeted focus actions in this area in the coming days.
Also in focus are so-called problematic houses, where private owners accommodate refugees or other people under poor conditions. According to Ludwig, the city will continue its focus actions in this area for several weeks and then consider a possible expansion to the entire city area.
Criticism from the FPÖ
Vienna's FPÖ chairman Dominik Nepp expressed sharp criticism of the measures. He accused Ludwig of only discovering the issue of security in the run-up to the Vienna election. Furthermore, it is "unparalleled in its incredibility" that the mayor is now demanding more police, while he previously negotiated cuts with the Ministry of the Interior.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.