In Austria, re were so many racist incidents in past year after census of an anti-racism organization. The increase is mainly due to increase in Hasspostings against Muslims and Refugees, association Zara – civil courage and anti-racism work – writes in its racism report 2017. Racist articles, postings and comments about Online portals or social networks were distributed, thus making up 44 percent of total 1,162 cases documented in previous year. This trend was also observed in 2016, authors write.

Many comments allowed "deep insights into degree of contempt, loathing and extermination fantasies" of authors, it says in report. That people in public life also expressed lump-sum convictions and suspicions, seem to confirm perpetrators in ir behavior. Zara cites example of a retired notary who was convicted of incitement by Vienna Court of Appeal. He considered term "garbage bag" to be "quite funny" for traditional Muslim clothing and did not understand why he should not write in his blog that Muslims "can kill my fellow citizens and do this with impunity", Cite Zara authors in ir report.

Even offline, agitation will be harder, especially towards Muslims. Women with headscarves would "be discriminated against in almost all areas of life, through insults and violent attacks in public space, to denial of services, jobs or services," says Zara. "A kind of racist basic consensus" is on way and is taking path to many structures and decision-making bodies.

The media contributed to this, authors write. Often, reporting of crimes by Muslims or refugees on Internet sites has Hatestorm a

Politics of exclusion

The current government course in Austria is also advancing this trend, Zara criticized. There is a "continued policy of exclusion, with which people are schlechtergestellt due to ir origin or residence status" as well as "populist slogans and electoral promises that threaten racist enemy image construction Foreigners ' continue to manifest. Zara insisted on urgent need for "distancing right-wing populist concepts" and programmes against racism and ir influence on politics.

In Austria, since end of last year, a new, right-wing government from conservative People's Party (ÖVP) and right-wing populist Liberal Party of Austria (FPOe) ruled. On several occasions, politicians from both parties also came up with racist or right-wing statements. In January, for example, Interior Minister Herbert Kickl said that he wanted to place asylum seekers "concentrated" in "Basic supply centres" in future – a choice of words reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps. At that time, human rights activists spoke of a purposeful provocation, interior minister felt misunderstood.

Date Of Update: 22 March 2018, 12:02