Today, the 2015 Far-Right "academics/fraternity" ball takes place in Vienna

[Tender Branson]

Here's the 2014 thread.

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FPÖ-leader Strache has already provoked the Left with this Twitter-post:



"Next Friday, the boot troops of the SA (Socialist Antifa) will once again march through Vienna."

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"SA" of course is a reference to the WW2 "SS" boot troops - which the Left often associates with FPÖ-demonstraters.

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Like last year and the years before, some 10.000 antifa protesters are expected again in the city. Some of them will be very aggressive (mostly the German "black block" people) and out for damages to buildings etc. Some 5.000 police will shield the far-right ball attendees from these protesters.

Last year, there have been several clashes between the left-wing protesters and the riot police and massive damages in the inner city, worth 1 million €.

[Tender Branson]

The hard left-wingers/anti-fa/black-block and the FPÖ/supporting groups have filed for 20 different demonstrations/support meetings on Friday.

The police refused to grant 2 left-winger demos and 4 FPÖ-meetings.

The left-wing "NOWKR" demos were banned by the police because the "NOWKR" organizing group would not denounce or rule out violence on Friday (incl. the trashing of shops, attacks on FPÖ-ball attendees, the police forces, etc.)

The 4 FPÖ meetings were refused because they were planned to be held within the police security perimeter around the Hofburg.

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Security perimeter:



On Friday, only accredited members of the media as well as ball attendees will be allowed into the security perimeter after 4pm.

The left-wingers have accused the police of "escalation" because some of their demos were refused and said that they will continue to confront the police forces no matter what.

I guess that means the police will once again use the tear gas and water cannons ...

[Tender Branson]

"Market" poll about the protests:



"What do the fraternity protests mean ?"

90-10 Yes - If someone protests in public, he/she stands up for his/her beliefs
65-35 Yes - If someone veils himself during a protest, it means this person plans a violent protest

"Who's to blame for the violent protests ?"

91-9 Yes - The professional Black Block protestors mostly from Germany
36-64 No - The normal, peaceful protestors against the FPÖ-ball
27-73 No - The police



"Which party benefits most from the protests ?"

green = benefits party
yellow = neither
red = hurts party

[Tender Branson]

Will krampus be there? 

Nope, Krampus-time is only late November to mid-December.

[Tender Branson]

In 50 minutes, the security perimeter zone around the Hofburg will be "activated" by the police (see map above).

The left-wing protesters will still try to penetrate it somewhere, because it's rather big (like Cranberry already mentioned).

I'll keep you up-to-date if something "interesting" happens later tonight.

[Tender Branson]

If you want to follow the news on the radio, you can do so @ FM4 - a popular English-speaking/moderated alternative/indie radio channel from the Austrian public broadcaster.

http://radio.orf.at/player/radioplayer.html?station=fm4&width=328&height=466

[Tender Branson]

From the standard.at live-ticker:

About 2000 people will attend the FPÖ-ball tonight, much more than last year.

No members of the LePen family will come this year.

The police has stopped and searched buses full of German and Czech anti-fa people at the Vienna city border, confiscated weapons and urged them "to drive home again".

[Tender Branson]

So far, so good.

About 10.000 demonstrators and a big concert with Holocaust-survivors in front of the Hofburg.

The FPÖ-ball starts now, and the more militant left-wingers are now trying to block the taxis from getting to the Hofburg (most of them are already in there for hours though).

Some damages and attacks on police reported, but no water cannon or tear gas use so far.

Could get worse though later on.

[Tender Branson]

The tons of left-wingers encircle taxis with FPÖ-ball attendees inside and slit open the tires of the taxis, crush the windows of the cars, push the car back and forth and shout: "NAZIS out !"



The people in the taxis are quite scared (incl. the poor taxi drivers).

[Tender Branson]

The police has a lot to do:

* clear the streets from the "sit-in" crowd, who chant: "The police protects the fascists !"
* protect the taxis
* neutralize the Black Block people by using dogs
* make sure the security perimeter remains tight and is not penetrated