Austria Tactical: Students to hold strike, associated rally from Stephansplatz in Vienna on February 14; maintain heightened vigilance

Feb 2025

15:42 UTC

Students associated with Aktion Kritischer Schuler Innen Wien (AKS), the Vienna student action group, have called for a one-day school strike on February 14 in Vienna under the slogan “Blue-black must not take over schools.”
The strike is supported by multiple local student associations, with media reports indicating that teachers have also been invited to participate.
An associated protest march will begin at 09:30 (local time) on February 14 from Stephansplatz in Vienna, culminating in a rally in front of the Federal Chancellery at Ballhausplatz around 12:00.
The action is in response to the recent government formation negotiations between the far-right Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (FPO) and the center-right Osterreichische Volkspartei (OVP). The students argue that an FPO-OVP government would undermine a socially just education system.

Based on social media estimates, the demonstration in Vienna is likely to see a turnout ranging from the high hundreds to the low thousands.
Given the mobilizational capabilities of the organizing groups, the strike action is expected to be largely adhered to by students in Vienna. Threats of discipline by school authorities, as has already been recorded at several schools in Vienna, could potentially lead to a slightly decreased turnout.
A bolstered security presence is likely to be deployed near Stephansplatz and Ballhausplatz. Further, given the possibility of students marching to other locations, security is also liable to be bolstered near other prominent monuments and government buildings, especially in the vicinity of the Ministry of Education.
Considering heightened sentiments surrounding the protest issue, the protest in Vienna carries a latent potential for unrest in the form of clashes between protesters and the police. The risk is liable to increase should far-left actors join the protest. In the event of escalating unrest, authorities are liable to respond with forcible crowd dispersal measures, including mass arrests.
Significant disruptions to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, including public transportation, are anticipated in the vicinity of the protest locations in Vienna from the late morning hours.

Those operating or residing in Vienna on February 14 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of Stephansplatz and Ballhausplatz due to the latent risk of unrest at the slated student protest.
Allot for travel-related disruptions in the vicinity of the slated protest locations from the morning hours onwards.

Low

Vienna, Austria

Medium

Credible

Students associated with Aktion Kritischer Schuler Innen Wien (AKS), the Vienna student action group, have called for a one-day school strike on February 14 in Vienna under the slogan “Blue-black must not take over schools.”
The strike is supported by multiple local student associations, with media reports indicating that teachers have also been invited to participate.
An associated protest march will begin at 09:30 (local time) on February 14 from Stephansplatz in Vienna, culminating in a rally in front of the Federal Chancellery at Ballhausplatz around 12:00.
The action is in response to the recent government formation negotiations between the far-right Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (FPO) and the center-right Osterreichische Volkspartei (OVP). The students argue that an FPO-OVP government would undermine a socially just education system.

Based on social media estimates, the demonstration in Vienna is likely to see a turnout ranging from the high hundreds to the low thousands.
Given the mobilizational capabilities of the organizing groups, the strike action is expected to be largely adhered to by students in Vienna. Threats of discipline by school authorities, as has already been recorded at several schools in Vienna, could potentially lead to a slightly decreased turnout.
A bolstered security presence is likely to be deployed near Stephansplatz and Ballhausplatz. Further, given the possibility of students marching to other locations, security is also liable to be bolstered near other prominent monuments and government buildings, especially in the vicinity of the Ministry of Education.
Considering heightened sentiments surrounding the protest issue, the protest in Vienna carries a latent potential for unrest in the form of clashes between protesters and the police. The risk is liable to increase should far-left actors join the protest. In the event of escalating unrest, authorities are liable to respond with forcible crowd dispersal measures, including mass arrests.
Significant disruptions to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, including public transportation, are anticipated in the vicinity of the protest locations in Vienna from the late morning hours.

Those operating or residing in Vienna on February 14 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of Stephansplatz and Ballhausplatz due to the latent risk of unrest at the slated student protest.
Allot for travel-related disruptions in the vicinity of the slated protest locations from the morning hours onwards.

Low

Vienna, Austria

Medium

Credible

Protest