On Thursday, around 50,000 people in memory of the killed George Floyd demonstrated in Vienna against racism and racially motivated police violence. Because this is also a widespread problem in Austria, say observers.
Cheering and shouting, “Black lives matter” chants and a crowd of people that stretched from the underground stations Museumsquartier and Volkstheater to Mariahilfer Strasse and the grain market: These were the impressions awaiting participants of the demonstration on Thursday afternoon in Vienna Downtown, in memory of the killed African American George Floyd, despite the thunderstorm that started including the rain right on time for the start of the rally, a sea of posters, flags and banners was created on the Human Rights Square. It reads: “No racism”, “All lives matter” or “White silence is violence”. According to initial police estimates, around 50,000 people attended the rally and then moved to Karlsplatz. At the beginning of the demo, the police had assumed well over 10,000 participants, but around 5000 people were added every ten minutes.
–
