Assault linked to FPÖ circles prompts investigation into right-wing extremism

An assault on a taxi driver in Leoben, Austria, has highlighted the close ties between the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and the Identitarian movement. The incident occurred on June 20, following a gathering of fraternity members. The taxi driver reportedly refused to transport individuals who were allegedly shouting Nazi slogans and "Heil Hitler" in his vehicle. The group then attacked the driver, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking him. Police have identified suspects in the case. According to reports, two of the suspects are prominent members of the Identitarian movement. One of them recently served as a parliamentary assistant to an FPÖ lawmaker, though his employment was terminated a few weeks ago. The FPÖ stated that the individual is not a current employee and declined to provide further personal details due to legal reasons, adding they had no information beyond media reports. The public prosecutor's office is investigating the case for violations of the Denazification Act (Verbotsgesetz) and attempted aggravated assault. State security services are also involved, with one suspect under investigation for inciting hatred over an anti-foreigner post on Instagram. This individual was previously reported to state security for attending a funeral where an SS song was allegedly sung, though that investigation was later closed. The FPÖ's stance towards the Identitarian movement has shifted over the years, moving from a position of separation during the previous coalition government to closer alignment.

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It is not a current parliamentary employee. Unfortunately, we cannot disclose detailed personal data of third parties for legal reasons and we also know nothing more about the incident itself beyond the media coverage.