Five times as many Syrians – major police operation in Vienna
A major police operation targeting youth crime took place at Wien-Meidling station on Wednesday night, with 82 officers deployed. The operation continued into the early morning hours as authorities intensified efforts against violent and street crime among young people.
The raid was part of a strategy that has been running for months under the Austrian police’s crackdown on youth crime. Officers from several units participated, including the Bereitschaftseinheit (rapid response unit), Diensthundeführer (police dog handlers), and Fremden- und Grenzpolizei (foreigners and border police).
According to figures cited by Austria’s Interior Ministry, the number of suspects under 18 rose from 37,185 in 2021 to 49,067 in 2025, an increase of 32 percent. Among foreign suspects under 18, the number nearly doubled during the same period, rising from around 11,000 to approximately 22,000.
The sharpest increase was recorded among Syrian children aged 10 to 14. The number of suspected offenders in this group climbed from 318 in 2021 to 1,528 in 2025 — almost five times as many. The figures have become a major focus of Austria’s debate over youth crime and security.
Vienna has been particularly affected. Around 16,400 of the 49,067 suspects under 18 recorded nationwide in 2025 were registered in the capital, accounting for roughly one-third of the total. In response, the Einsatzgruppe Jugendkriminalität (Youth Crime Task Force) was established in March 2024 under the Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Criminal Police Office).
Since its creation, the task force has carried out repeated Schwerpunktaktionen (targeted operations) across Vienna. Authorities say around 1,600 people have been arrested, including approximately 600 minors, while more than 200 weapons have been seized. Most of the weapons were knives and knuckle-dusters.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the police would continue the targeted operations as long as necessary. The government is also preparing tougher measures, including stricter police instructions for young people, security-related case conferences, special detention arrangements for certain juveniles and a proposed Messertrageverbot (ban on carrying knives).
The latest operation at Wien-Meidling station highlights the growing pressure on Austrian authorities to respond to youth violence, particularly in Vienna. Police say their focus will remain on identifying and stopping young offenders involved in violent and street crime.