Are the anti-maskers of the “Querdenken” movement finally showing their true colours? Activists tore a rainbow flag on the stage of a “Querdenken” demonstration of Coronavirus deniers, right-wing radicals, anti-maskers and conspiracy theorists on Saturday in Vienna – and subsequently caused a scandal. Fortunately, there is another way: Yesterday, 1000 – 2000 people gathered spontaneously and demonstrated in Austria’s capital against hate and agitation. But once again the anti-maskers attracted unpleasant attention.

“You are not part of our society! We must protect our children against child molesters! We are all responsible for this”,

…bleated “Querdenken” activist Jennifer Klauninger into the microphone in front of the Karlskirche in Vienna on Saturday, after she had torn up a rainbow flag together with fellow activists.

The video went viral over the weekend and caused an uproar. Politicians from several Austrian parties sharply criticised the incident. On Monday, the Viennese police announced that they would investigate against several persons known by name – on suspicion of incitement to hatred.

“Against paedophiles”: excuses and evasions by activists

The anti-maskers tried to limit the damage by justifying themselves by saying that the heart on the rainbow flag was supposedly a sign that paedophiles used to recognise each other. But does the argument work? Right-wing forces regularly hide anti-queer propaganda behind the protection of children and the family and often link it to the fight against paedophilia. The boundaries between same-sex love, transgender and child abuse seem to be blurred for most right-wing conservatives, Nazis and conspiracy theorists.

The Homosexuelle Initiative Wien (HOSI) did not want to accept the argument either. The six colours arranged in this way could clearly be assigned to the LGBTIQ movement, HOSI chairwoman Ann-Sophie Otte told wien.ORF.at.

“Equating the LGBTIQ movement with paedophilia is an old and groundless insinuation by our political opponents. LGBTIQ people are just as much or less paedophile as heterosexual people are.”

Counter-demonstration with great solidarity, no apology

The Austrian Green politician Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, who has been married to her wife since 2019, invited all liberal, queer and solidary residents of Vienna to a counter-demonstration on Monday evening on Wiener Platz in response to the anti-queer action. And people came: Between 1000 (number according to the Vienna police) and 2000 (number according to Ernst-Dziedzic and HOSI) people took part in the spontaneous demonstration.

Klauninger also appeared at the event with some supporters. The anti-maskers were shielded by the police. Did Klauninger come to apologise? No. Ernst-Dziedzic tried to talk to the activists* on Monday in order to de-escalate the situation, but could not report any success:

“There was no hindsight and no excuse for doing something that had no place on an open stage”.

In addition, there had been various disturbances between demonstrators and opponents but the police had been able to avoid worse confrontations, the Green politician said. Nevertheless, according to the police, the demonstration was mostly peaceful. Ernst-Dziedzic was also very impressed by the broad degree of mobilisation among the population.

“The most beautiful moment yesterday at the demo? When a young gay man, grown up outside Vienna, was so happy and impressed how many people came together so quickly. That’s what it’s all about, showing young LGBTIQs in particular: You are not alone”

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