Amidst a large police presence and the noise of demos and counter-demonstrations, a drag queen reading for children took place this morning in a trendy bar of the LGBTQ community in Vienna.
While right-wing and left-wing demonstrators loudly played marching music and queer hymns in front of the Turquoise Rosa Lila Villa on Linke Wienzeile, numerous families followed the performance by artist Freya van Kant on the upper floor of the Villa Vida bar.
Radetzky March as a protest anthem
An estimated 100 people had gathered in front of the Turquoise Rosa Lila Villa to protest against the reading to the sounds of the Radetzky March, among other things, including representatives of the FPÖ, the right-wing extremist identities around Martin Sellner and people from the hooligan environment. Christian groups were also expected.
In addition to banners with the words “Protecting children is not a crime” and “No gender indoctrination with my taxes”, there was also a demonstrator with a cross. The Viennese FPÖ boss Dominik Nepp had called for the drag queen reading to be canceled.
Proponents in the clear majority
A multiple of demonstrators – separated by a buffer zone with barriers – had also made a loud noise for the rights of the LGBTQ community in front of the Villa Vida, the restaurant of the Turquoise Rosa Lila Villa. Rainbow flags were waved to the sounds of numbers like “I Will Survive”, and an estimated 400 to 500 participants chanted “There is no right to Nazi propaganda”.
