Austrian police thwart attack against Vienna Pride parade
The head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence told reporters that a planned attack against the Viennese Pride Parade was prevented by the country’s Cobra special forces.
During a press conference, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner told reporters; “Through the successful and also timely intervention, we managed to defuse the moment of danger for Vienna Pride and to ensure the safety of all participants.” The three suspects — Austrian citizens with Bosnian and Chechen roots, young men aged 14, 17 and 20 who had sympathized with the Islamic State militant group — were arrested on suspicion of planning to attack the parade prior to its start.
The Vienna Pride Parade, held to celebrate LGBTQ rights, attracted around 300,000 people according to officials from the Austrian Directorate of State Security and Intelligence.
Haijawi-Pirchner told reporters Austrian police had waited to reveal details of the planned attack until after the parade to ensure participants did not feel anxious. “That’s ultimately the goal of terrorism, to cause anxiety and fear in the public.
