The ceremonial hall of the Jewish part of Vienna's central cemetery was completely burned down due to arson. The perpetrators painted several swastikas on the outer wall of the room, reports the Tett és Védelem Alápítvány, referring to the Austrian news portal Expressen.
According to the Vienna police, it was initially unclear what caused the fire, but on-site investigations revealed that arson had taken place. The staff of the Austrian intelligence and the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Anti-Terrorism (LVT) also contributed to the search for the perpetrators.
There were no personal injuries, but the material damage was significant.
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen expressed his deep shock at what happened in a statement.
"The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Austria has increased significantly in recent weeks. This must end," said the head of state.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that "anti-Semitism has no place in Austrian society, we will fight against it with all political and constitutional means."
The arson was the third anti-Semitic attack in the Austrian capital in recent weeks. Last week, participants in a pro-Palestinian protest tore down Israeli flags from a synagogue, and a few days earlier, a young immigrant smashed the window of a kosher butcher shop while shouting "Allahu akbar."
In der Nacht, a fire was set in the Jewish part of the Zentralfriedhofs (IV Tor). Der Vorraum der Ceremonienhalle ist ausgebrannt. An Außenmauern wurden Hakenkreuze gesprayt. Personen kamen nicht zu Schaden. Feuerwehr und Polizei investigate. pic.twitter.com/LLvCrrXIge
— Oskar Deutsch (@DeutschOskar) November 1, 2023
Cover photo: Anti-Semitic vandals defaced the wall of Vienna's central cemetery with swastikas
Source: X/Oskar Deutsch
