On Monday evening, four people were killed and 22 injured in the terrorist attack in Vienna, and the assassin was shot dead. 14 people from his entourage were arrested, the police searched 18 apartments and houses. The perpetrator had a criminal record, he was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment in 2019 because he wanted to join the IS.

The initiative RiseUp4Rojava in Vienna has issued a statement which includes the following:

“We are shocked by the terrorist attacks in Vienna. Our thoughts are with the bereaved, and we wish all those who have experienced and seen terrible things a lot of strength. The attacks that took place last night in Vienna make it clear once again that we must confront Islamism, Jihadism and all ideologies hostile to humanity.

But these are empty words, if we do not do anything about the fact that Austrian politicians, and corporations support Islamist regimes like the one in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. After all, it is these regimes that promote Islamist forces worldwide. Islamist terrorists are not individual perpetrators; Islamism and Jihadism have been promoted for decades, above all by NATO states, in order to destabilise the Middle East and assert their own economic and geopolitical interests. This must stop.

The call for cohesion and solidarity that follows terror will remain empty if we continue to allow Western governments to fuel wars in the Middle East, which will only lay the groundwork for a strengthening of Islamism. For us, solidarity against terror, therefore, also means fighting for a society that is truly democratic and based on solidarity, in which there is no room for war profiteers and ideologies hostile to humanity.

At this point we also oppose all attempts by right-wingers and right-wing extremists to exploit the attacks for their agitation against people of Muslim faith and against migrants. Islamism and right-wing extremism are ideologies that are similar in their nature: Both are extremely patriarchal, homo- and transphobic, both are based on an extreme cult of leadership, both stand against a democratic and open society. Islamism and right-wing extremism reinforce each other because they incite people against each other. We oppose this dynamic, we sharply reject the hatred of mankind.

As a consequence of the attacks in Vienna, we demand the immediate termination of arms exports to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other regimes as well as the diversification of the arms industry. We demand an end to the course of cuddling with Erdogan, and an end to the inhuman refugee deal. We call on civil society in Austria to organize against right-wing and Islamist forces. Let us join forces! Against racists and Islamists! For a society of freedom and solidarity!”