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Six months for protester who attacked police

The Local Austria
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Six months for protester who attacked police
Hüseyin S in court. Photo: APA/Pfarrhofer

A 43-year-old man has been found guilty of grievous bodily harm and resistance against the police during protests against Vienna’s right-wing Akademikerball (Academics Ball) in January this year.

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Hüseyin S, a Kurd, was convicted to six months on probation, for attacking a policewoman during the demonstration. However, he was acquitted of breach of the peace and wilful bodily harm.

The 21-year-old policewoman who he injured was given a symbolic amount of €300 in damages. 

Hüseyin S has already served ten years in prison in Turkey for taking part in political protests there. 

More than 20 people were injured and 15 arrested as around 6,000 demonstrators took to the streets of central Vienna in January to protest against the controversial ball.

In July German student Josef S was controversially sentenced to 12 months in prison for breach of the peace, serious property damage and aggravated assault during the protests.

It is a known gathering place for Austrian and German nationalist student fraternity members, some of whom are described as right-wing extremists.

The ball was renamed the Vienna Cooperation Ball (WKR) two years ago after the leader of the right-wing Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, caused outrage by saying that the ball guests were "the new Jews", who were being persecuted by left-wing activists protesting against the ball.

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