Vienna Court Rules Police Action Against Palestinian Solidarity Camp Illegal

Vienna (Quds News Network)- Vienna’s Administrative Court has ruled that the police dissolution of the Palestinian solidarity camp at the University of Vienna on May 8, 2024, was illegal and unconstitutional, according to Al Jazeera.

Activists and human rights advocates called the ruling a major blow to the Vienna State Police Directorate. The police had justified their actions by claiming the protesters supported Hamas.

The solidarity camp lasted only three days before officers from the Vienna Emergency Response Unit (WEGA) raided the site at midnight. They used force against the students to end the peaceful protest.

The protest took place amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Demonstrators across European and American universities were demanding their institutions cut ties with Israeli companies profiting from the genocide.

To clear the camp, around 200 armed officers were deployed. The police used drones, surveillance vehicles, police dogs, trucks, and cranes to remove all belongings, according to Austrian media reports.

During the raid, authorities failed to provide a clear legal basis for the action.

Later, Vienna’s police administration stated that an assessment by the State Security Directorate and Intelligence Service concluded that the protest no longer complied with Austrian law.

Officials claimed the true purpose of the gathering was to express solidarity with Hamas resistance movement and create an environment supporting “terrorist acts”.

Police pointed to protesters chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and signs displaying the word “Intifada” as evidence.

The court dismissed these claims. It emphasized that freedom of assembly and expression are protected, even when opinions are deemed “shocking or offensive,” in line with European Court of Human Rights precedents.

Additionally, the court clarified that expressing sympathy for an organization classified as terrorist does not constitute a crime unless it directly incites terrorism.

It also ruled that slogans such as “From the river to the sea” and “Intifada” do not automatically encourage terrorism unless other statements indicate such intent.

As a result, there was no legal basis for the police to forcefully dissolve the protest.

The protests intensified during Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which began in October 2023. More than 160,000 Palestinians were killed or injured, most of them women and children. Over 11,000 remain missing.