Jewish students disrupt Austrian minister’s speech

VIENNA, Austria – Austrian Jewish students disrupt a cabinet minister’s speech at a conference on anti-Semitism over the fact that his government includes politicians from the far-right Freedom Party.

The students Wednesday unfurl a banner reading “Mr. Kurz! Your government is not kosher!” during an address by Education Minister Heinz Fassmann.

Sebastian Kurz was elected Austrian Chancellor in October. He heads the Austrian People’s Party, a center-right movement. In December, Kurz’s party formed a coalition government with the far-right Freedom Party, which former Nazis established in the 1950s.

The action triggers applause from the audience that had gathered in a University of Vienna auditorium to hear Fassman speak during the European Jewish Congress’s “An End to Anti-Semitism” conference held this week in the Austrian capital.

The protesters are then escorted out of the auditorium by ushers.

— JTA