In a major nationwide operation, Austrian police arrested 15 individuals early Friday morning suspected of targeting gay men through social media and violently attacking them. The suspects, consisting of 12 men and 3 women, were allegedly involved in at least 17 assaults, with one case being investigated as an attempted murder, according to reports by APA (Austrian Press Agency).
The coordinated raid, involving over 400 officers from across Austria and Slovakia, excluded only the provinces of Carinthia and Vorarlberg. The group is accused of using fake social media profiles since May last year to lure gay men to remote locations under false pretenses. Upon arrival, victims were physically assaulted, robbed, and publicly humiliated—with attackers even accusing them of child abuse.
What makes the case even more disturbing is that the perpetrators allegedly filmed the attacks and later shared the footage on online forums, glorifying the violence. Authorities also discovered weapons and Nazi-related paraphernalia during the raids, hinting at deeper ideological motivations behind the crimes.
Austrian authorities have condemned the attacks as hate crimes of the highest order, emphasizing the ongoing threat posed by extremist groups misusing digital platforms to spread terror. The investigation is ongoing, with police urging additional victims to come forward.
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