The liberal academic ball will take place again in the Vienna Hofburg on Friday. The event – described by critics as an international networking meeting for right-wing extremists – was again accompanied by demonstrations. Five rallies had been registered.
The police are on duty with 900 officers, and there was a closure around the Hofburg from 5 p.m. The demonstrators gathered in front of the main building of the University of Vienna until around 6 p.m. So far everything has been going quietly.Final rally at StephansplatzThe demonstration route of the protest march “No place for fascists” leads from Schottenring via Wipplingerstrasse, Hoher Markt, Rotenturmstrasse to Stephansplatz. A final rally is planned there for around 4,000 participants. FPÖ celebrities missingAlthough numerous high-ranking guests from the Freedom Party are expected again this year, party leader Herbert Kickl is not taking part, as usual. EU top candidate Harald Vilimsky is also staying away from the Hofburg despite the “super election year” of 2024. Among other things, the third National Council President and ex-FPÖ leader Norbert Hofer, who is a regular guest at the ball, is expected to come. Photos from the Academic Ball 2024 Annual protests against the ball The ball has been repeatedly accompanied by sometimes violent protests in the past. In 2014 in particular, there was a lot of damage to property and a significant number of injured demonstrators and police officers. In the years that followed, however, the situation calmed down significantly.
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