Antifa protest

2800 demonstrators in Linz against the Burschenbundball

The demonstrators marched from the AEC through the center of Linz to Martin-Luther-Platz(Bild: Werner Kerschbaummayr)

"Not a millimeter for fascism" was the slogan at the demonstration against the Linz Burschenbundball on Saturday evening. There was not a millimetre of space at the meeting point of the rally organized by the "Linz against the Right" alliance in front of the Ars Electronica Center (AEC). Well over 1500 people had come. The march through the city center was attended by 2800.

Every year at the ball, anti-fascist critics take to the streets to denounce the "networking meeting for right-wing extremists with political and business elites". This year, the protest was also directed against the blue-black coalition negotiations. "Voting for the FPÖ is full 1933", read a warning on a poster.

Protection of honor by LH Stelzer denounced
The fact that Upper Austria's Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) had once again assumed the honorary patronage of the ball was also met with incomprehension. The protesters' advice: "Don't kiss Schmiss".

"This is not just a ball, but a networking event where right-wing extremists meet with top representatives from business and politics," said alliance spokesperson Eva Reiter. The protest was peaceful for the time being.

Counterpoint with a left-wing waltz
For the eighth time, the "WurstvomHund Ball" with a left-wing waltz course formed the antithesis. While the guests of the Burschenbund Ball gathered - from 5 p.m. there was a ban on entering the area around the Palais Kaufmännischer Verein - the alternative ball with Stadtwerkstatt, Radio FRO and the net culture initiative "servus.at" organized a left-hand waltz workshop on the Maindeck in front of the Stadtwerkstatt. The Rector of the University of Art and Design Linz, Brigitte Hütter, was the honorary patron of the ball.