A mosque affiliated with the Albanian Cultural Association in the city of Hollabrunn, in the state of Lower Austria, was targeted by an armed attack at dawn on Monday, in an incident that sparked widespread concern within Islamic and political circles in the country, amid a noticeable escalation in anti Muslim rhetoric in recent weeks.
Austria’s public broadcaster ORF confirmed, citing police sources, that the attack occurred at a time when no one was inside the mosque, preventing any human casualties.
Police stated in an official announcement that a broad investigation has been launched into the incident, noting that no leads have yet been identified that would reveal the identity of those responsible.
The statement added that security authorities are examining all possible scenarios, including the possibility of an extremist motive behind the attack, without ruling out any hypothesis at this stage.
For his part, Rasoul Ademi, vice president of the Albanian Cultural Association, said in a press statement that the association had never previously faced any problems or threats, expressing the shock felt by him and other members following the attack.
Ademi stressed the necessity of strengthening security protection for religious institutions, in light of what he described as a growing climate of incitement and hatred.
This attack comes amid a worrying rise in hostile discourse against Muslims in Austria. On 17 December, the Islamic Religious Community in Austria announced an increase in inciting and threatening messages targeting Muslims over recent weeks, warning of the repercussions of this climate on social peace.
A post published on the official social media account of the Austrian People’s Party sparked a wave of political controversy after directly targeting Muslims.
The post stated, “Did you know that two thirds of people find it difficult to live with Muslims,” a message widely regarded as generalising and negative rhetoric that fuels social division and portrays an entire religious community as a problem.
Among the first reactions, Austrian Finance Minister and member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria, Markus Marterbauer, strongly criticised the post, affirming that the Muslim community is an inseparable part of Austria’s social and economic life.
He pointed out that Austrians of Bosnian origin have made significant contributions over many decades in vital sectors such as healthcare, trade, and industry.
Marterbauer issued an apology for the content of the post, stating, “I apologise. We are not like this.”
Meanwhile, the secretary general of the NEOS, Janis Shiti, described the position of the Austrian People’s Party as fundamentally wrong and politically misguided, warning that portraying Muslims as a source of suspicion or a potential problem would deepen polarisation within society.
The leader of the The Greens Austria, Leonore Gewessler, said that the post does not befit a party leading the government, adding that targeting people who have lived and worked in Austria for many years and contribute to society is unacceptable.
She added, “It is shameful that people who have lived in this country for decades and form part of our society are forced to read such messages.”
At the same time, political debates around migration and integration are intensifying as elections approach, amid warnings that anti Muslim rhetoric could threaten coexistence and social peace.
In this context, Austria’s Minister for Integration, Claudia Plakolm, announced last Thursday that the government intends to impose a ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf for girls under the age of 14 in schools, starting from the 2026 to 2027 academic year. She explained that the government will present a draft law to this effect, despite the Supreme Court having struck down a similar attempt in 2019.
Plakolm justified the move by citing what she described as a “significant increase” in the number of girls wearing the headscarf, noting that the proposal includes fines of up to 800 euros for parents in the event of repeated violations.
In response, the Islamic Religious Community in Austria sharply criticised the plan, arguing that it targets domestic political gains and contributes to fuelling anti Islamic discourse, rather than promoting integration and social dialogue.
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