It is a bad end to a wild night of partying: In the early hours of Sunday morning, around 5.45 a.m., a 27-year-old man from Graz is on his way home from the Postgarage. He doesn’t get far: in Rösselmühlpark, right by the entrance to the 2nd floor, he is attacked from behind, his bum bag is violently ripped over his head, he falls and hits the ground with his face. A witness to the incident administers first aid, but the man has to be taken to the regional hospital.
Not the only incident this weekend: The night before, there was also a brutal attack with a knife, as described by the father of a 19-year-old who was partying with a friend in the Postgarage on the night of Friday to Saturday. First, unknown perpetrators tried to take his sunglasses away, but when he demanded them back, he and his friend were kicked and stabbed in the buttocks. Both had to be stitched up in hospital.
Rösselmühlpark near the post office garage: Robberies are increasing
The incidents around the Rösselmühlpark in Gries have been increasing in recent weeks, as Postgarage operator Günter Brodtrager describes. They are concerned about the safety of the guests, and “the security guards already have enough to do in the club and are not responsible for the area outside.” The incident from Sunday morning was also made public on Instagram in the hope of finding further witnesses: “We wish the affected guest a speedy recovery and stand by his side with full sympathy,” they wrote in a post.
It is unclear whether there is a connection with the protection zone that was imposed in the Volksgarten for six months in mid-July. The drug scene from the Volksgarten then moved – as expected – to the Metahofpark, which was also monitored more closely.
Police are responding and will be present during the night hours
The police can only speculate about the reasons for the increase in incidents in the area between Griesplatz and Rösselmühlpark, but it is a small group that can be attributed to the drug milieu. How seriously the problem is taken is shown by the fact that the responsible police station on Karlauerstrasse has now even ordered overtime on weekend nights in order to be able to show a stronger presence during the party nights.
“The police are trying very hard, we have also been able to get in direct contact with the officers on duty,” Brodtrager confirms. The police say they are currently working on a new security concept for the area. This is to be implemented by September 28th at the latest, when the next “FAGtory” clubbing event is held in the Postgarage, a very popular queer party on three floors, where conflicts often arise due to the particularly strict entry concept and a long queue with people sometimes dressed in daring clothing.
Already this week the Postgarage is the scene of the “Grazer Sauhaufen”, the largest gathering of Graz DJ crewsThis event starts on Friday at 6 p.m. with free admission in the Rösselmühlpark and then continues in the Postgarage.
