Childhood flashback

Disco night ended in the regional court

The "terribly nice family" had to answer to the Feldkirch regional court.(Bild: Chantal Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

First, three siblings swore at the bouncer, then they assaulted officers. Now the "terribly nice family" has to answer to the Feldkirch regional court.

The three siblings, aged 24, 26 and 27, are unlikely to forget their disco night at the Lustenau radio station any time soon. Because now they are on trial for insult, resisting public authority, incitement to hatred and grievous bodily harm, among other things.

As a result, the young party guest is pinned to the ground by the officers. In court, the 24-year-old described the scenes as follows: "I kept telling the officer that I couldn't breathe and tapped my fist against the officer's buttocks several times. I panicked because I have a heart condition. And in such a stressful situation, that can be tricky," he describes the anxious moments.

But how did it get this far? At the end of January, the trio were spending a fun evening at the station when one of the brothers was bumped into by another guest on the dance floor. After a verbal altercation, the bouncer intervenes. A scuffle ensues, whereupon the older brother of the 24-year-old defendant calls the police. When they arrive, the situation gets completely out of hand.

We experienced a lot of domestic violence in our childhood. I had a flashback that evening.

Die Angeklagte

Trial continues
The sister accused of resisting public authority explains her behavior at the time in a similarly dramatic way: "We experienced a lot of domestic violence in our childhood. I had a flashback that evening. When my brother shouted that he couldn't breathe, nobody helped him." She herself felt helpless and kicked her brother, not the officer, "because I just wanted it to stop". This contrasts with the completely different statements of the police officers involved, some of whom suffered bruises and scratches.

Lawyer German Bertsch, who is representing the siblings, is of the opinion that the police overdid it with their measures.(Bild: Chantal Dorn)

However, the three siblings have pleaded guilty to the verbal derailments towards the bouncer, two of whom called him a "fucking nigger", and they also admit to the wild insults towards the police officers. The trial will continue next Tuesday.