Incitement to Hatred and National Socialist Offences on Facebook

Alert DateDecember 30, 2011 Country: Austria Address: Carinthia General Type: Racist discourse, Hate crime Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-semitism, Nationalism
Groups affected / Interested in: Religious minorities, National minorities Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Internet Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Internet
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Austrian
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age <17
Perpetrators Number 1
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

At the end of December 2011, the online edition of the newspaper “Kleine Zeitung” reported on a successful investigation of the Kärntner Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz und Terrorismusbekämpfung (LVT Kärnten – Carinthian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism):
A 17-year old Carinthian was registered on Facebook with the name “Withe Power Withe Pride” (sic!) on his Facebook profile, where he posted racist and anti-Semitic tirades. He had more than 100 friends. After a report by the newspaper “Kleine Zeitung” in March 2011, the profile disappeared.
The Criminal Investigation Department of the police office Wolfsberg refused to start investigations because they didn’t classify this activity as criminal offence. However, the LVT Kärnten launched investigations and contacted the Facebook Headquarters in order to get the data of the user.
During a house search of the boy´s place, the investigators were able to secure neo-Nazi propaganda material on the computer of the apprentice. The boy was charged for incitement to hatred and according to the law banning National Socialist activities.

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