The acquittal of an alleged neo-Nazi accused of displaying Nazi-inspired symbols and possessing Nazi propaganda has caused an uproar in Austria, with critics denouncing a “scandal of the highest order.” A court in Vienna on Friday convicted the 42-year-old, an alleged member of the far-right Unsterblich (Immortal) group, of carrying a knife and handed him a three-month suspended sentence. But the defendant, who was not named, was cleared on charges of repeatedly wearing clothing bearing illegal Nazi symbols at sporting events and possessing Nazi propaganda material. The Mauthausen Committee of Austria, a Holocaust remembrance organization, criticizes the verdict and reports that the court has been overly cordial with the defendant, wishing him happy birthday during the proceedings. “The conduct of the proceedings and the acquittal are a scandal of the highest order,” says Willi Mernyi, chair of the association. Prosecutors in Vienna confirm to AFP that they launched an appeal against the verdict. According to Austrian news agency APA, the defendant had previously been convicted in 2022 over banned Nazi symbols and even his lawyer was expecting another conviction.
via times of israel: Acquittal of alleged neo-Nazi sparks outrage in Austria; court said to wish him happy birthday
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