Vienna Expands Weapon Ban to Josefstadt following Yppenplatz Safety Concerns
VIENNA – A significant expansion of a weapon ban and protection zone, initially focused on Yppenplatz in Vienna’s Ottakring district, will now extend into parts of the neighboring Josefstadt (8th district), authorities announced Wednesday. The new regulations, effective Friday, August 1st, aim to enhance safety in the affected areas, which include the popular Brunnenmarkt and the Josefstädter Straße subway station.The extended zone, visualized by the vienna police, encompasses the entirety of the Brunnenmarkt along Thaliastraße in Ottakring.Crucially, the ban will also reach into Josefstadt, bordering Ottakring, and will include the forecourt of the “Josi” homeless shelter, an area that has experienced repeated incidents of violence and clashes. Specific addresses on Josefstädter Straße, from numbers 26 to 42, within josefstadt, will also be subject to the weapon prohibition.
A police spokesperson confirmed the inclusion of the 8th district in the weapon ban, though the precise reasons for the zone’s expansion were not immediately detailed.
Local officials and organizations have welcomed the extended measures. A spokesperson for the vienna Fund for Social and Economic Affairs (FSW), which oversees the “Josi” center, stated that “all measures in the area of the Daily Center for Josi, which contribute to an increase in the feeling of security in public spaces and the prevention of violence in public spaces, are to be welcomed.” The district head of Josefstadt, Martin Fabisch (Greens), echoed this sentiment, calling the ban a “simple prevention measure” that will bolster security for commuters, local residents, users of social institutions, and emergency services. It was also noted that a weapon ban has been in place at the “Josi” day center since its inception.This development follows several months of discussions and previous safety initiatives in the Yppenplatz area, including increased lighting, in response to acts of violence.
