2000 people came

Graz: Hundreds at demonstration against academics’ ball

The demonstration march led through Herrengasse in Graz.(Bild: Jakob Traby)

The Akademikerball took place on Saturday in Graz, just a few hundred meters away, at the same time as the Opera Redoute. The meeting place for many fraternity members came into sharper focus due to current political events. Later in the afternoon, around 2000 people demonstrated against the ball and, above all, against Herbert Kickl. There were no incidents.

The "Offensive gegen Rechts Graz" - according to its own information "a non-partisan alliance of youth organizations, cultural and art initiatives, political groups and individuals" - had registered a protest march. It started shortly before 5.30 pm at Mariahilferplatz and led via Lendkai, Erzherzog-Johann-Brücke, Neutorgasse, Joanneumring and Herrengasse to Hauptplatz, where it arrived at around 6 pm. The demonstration ended at 8 p.m. - without any particular incidents

The demonstration was registered for 500 people, but there were probably around 2000. The messages at the peaceful march were not surprising: "Kickl out!" "Nazis out!" "Refugees are welcome here!" "Racist, sexist, disgusting - that's the German fraternity". Particularly frequently heard: "Shoot Kickl to the moon!" Strikingly, the blue Styrian governor Mario Kunasek was not an issue, the resistance focused on the possible Federal Chancellor Herbert Kickl. 

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The police had banned people from the area around the Graz Congress. Parts of Albrechtgasse, Schmiedgasse and Landhausgasse were affected. Only ball visitors and people working there were allowed to enter the Congress. The police deployment was considerable, the entire city center was full of uniformed people and their vehicles. 

FPÖ provincial government not at the Academics Ball
Incidentally, the Styrian FPÖ government team was not represented at the Akademikerball itself. Governor Mario Kunasek was at the fire department ball in Trofaiach, as was club chairman Marco Triller, provincial councillor Hannes Amesbauer at the opera roulette and his colleague Stefan Hermann at the Red Cross ball in Lieboch. State Transport Minister Claudia Holzer and State Parliament President Gerald Deutschmann were also not expected, nor was Herbert Kickl, of course.  

Incidentally, the "Offensive von rechts" is already inviting people to the next demonstration on February 6 at 6 pm on Mariahilferplatz in Graz.