Vienna: Police removed Islam warning signs

I found the story about the young woman abused on a Vienna train while researching about these notices (below) appearing around Vienna (and maybe other parts of Austria) following the publication by the University of Vienna of the Islam Landekarte or Islamic map. 

This map, a proper academic work, which sets out the location of every mosque, Islamic centre and prayer room in Austria gives details not just of the religious affinity of each establishment but their political connections. This makes it different from the many internet data bases available in England for the use of worshippers keen to locate their nearest friendly mosque, or the Christian equivalent ‘A church near you’. 

The Arab and Middle Eastern English language press has been angry about it all week. According to Al Jazeera  Muslim Youth Austria has said it plans to file a lawsuit against the government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for publishing the map. The map has government support and was launched by Austrian Integration Minister Susanne Raab.

She said “that it is by no means intended to put all Muslims under “general suspicion”. On the other hand, one shouldn’t be “blind in one eye” and ignore “dangerous developments in political Islam”. These tendencies are a danger to our value system and our liberal democracy. Politicians must ensure that such ideologies are not spread “under the guise of tolerance” in back rooms and courtyards.”

 Germany’s Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Michael Chalupka has expressed concern and called on Frau Raab to take the website down. However Hans-Juergen Irmer of Germany’s Christian Democratic (CDU) party said today that it is such a good idea, Germany should have something similar. 

The map has indeed proved useful to some people and signs appeared across Vienna this week warning the citizens of the presence of Political Islam in This Area. They were spotted in Leopoldstadt and Meidling and copied to social media.

According to Vienna ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk the Austrian Public Service broadcaster) the police are removing the signs as soon as they are reported and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is investigating.  Suzanne Raab has been threatened, as have the academics involved in the compilation of the map. 

This is the status of the map tonight; the website is still extant but access to the information is restricted and there is a notice (I used google translate) from the Professor in charge deploring the misuse of the information. 

Statement from 03.06.2021 Due to the heated mood of the last few days, there has been a change in the IT operator of the platform. It is only a short-term interruption, which was necessary due to current developments. Once these have been done, the project will go back online.

I hope the map stays and that the Austria government does not cave into pressure. 

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