Attack on Taxi Driver in Leoben: Two Identitarians Suspected – Connection to FPÖ Parliamentary Office

The taxi driver, who according to his own account came to Austria around 40 years ago and studied there, had allowed three fraternity members to enter his vehicle. When they chanted Nazi slogans in his car and also shouted a "Sieg Heil," he turned them away. The men then attempted to flee. The driver alerted the police and tried to hold on to the fraternity members until the patrol arrived in order to enable identification.

As the taxi driver described, he was knocked down by fraternity members and kicked in the head while lying on the ground. "He was alone. You could call him a hero. There were at least four of them," according to an account of the incident. During the attack, he was insulted as an "Ausländersau." He filed a complaint one day after the assault.

Course of Events: Refused Fare and Attack on the Ground

The Leoben public prosecutor's office confirmed through its spokesperson Andreas Riedler ongoing investigations on suspicion of National Socialist activity under the Prohibition Act as well as attempted grievous bodily harm. The investigations are directed against known individuals and against unknown perpetrators. "The investigations are ongoing. It will take some more time," Riedler told the APA. New findings are expected by the end of July; a further report from the State Office for State Protection and Extremism Counteraction (LSE) Styria is anticipated.

According to APA information from investigative circles, two leading members of the Identitarian Movement Austria (IBÖ) are among the suspects. According to APA, one of them is a former parliamentary employee of an FPÖ member of parliament, who is now being investigated on suspicion of Nazi activity and attempted grievous bodily harm. According to APA information, the employment relationship was only terminated a few weeks ago. The FPÖ declared to the APA on Saturday evening: "He is not a current parliamentary employee. Detailed personal data of third parties unfortunately cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, and we are not aware of anything about the incident itself beyond the media reporting."

Suspects and Status of Investigations

According to the available information, the second suspect is Yannick W., a German citizen and spokesperson of Identitäre Wien. According to a witness account, the prominent IBÖ representative, who had originally not been sitting in the taxi, allegedly came forcefully to the taxi driver's aid when the latter was pursuing an IBÖ comrade and a German right-wing extremist. A photo circulating on social media shows the German activist at the FPÖ election party 2024 making a white power gesture; Herbert Kickl can also be seen in the picture with his arm around his shoulders. Media were largely locked out of the election party.

The research platform "Stoppt die Rechten" documents a series of relevant activities for the former FPÖ employee: He took part in an Identitarian disruptive action against Vienna Pride, co-organized Identitarian marches, and played a leading role in demonstrations against the federal government's COVID measures. Independently of the Leoben incident, he is also being pursued by the LSE Vienna on suspicion of incitement in connection with a xenophobic Instagram post from early June.

Background: Prohibition Act Proceedings and Identitarian Activities

In addition, the man had already been reported in June 2025 by the Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence Service (DSN) under the Prohibition Act because he had attended the funeral of a fraternity member at which an SS song is said to have been sung. This proceeding was subsequently discontinued. According to the available facts, the presumption of innocence applies to all accused until the investigations are concluded.

The events cast a spotlight on a milieu that, in the view of ÖVP parliamentary group leader Ernst Gödl, has long since reached into the political establishment. The assault is "no isolated incident, but the latest spotlight on a milieu that has long since reached into the political establishment," Gödl stated. A party that normalizes far-right networks, brings them into its structures, and repeatedly relativizes their proximity "itself becomes a security risk for the Republic." He called on the FPÖ to "not downplay the problem and instead draw consequences."

Political Reactions: SPÖ, ÖVP, and Greens Demand Consequences

The Greens' spokesperson on right-wing extremism, Lukas Hammer, also saw an urgent need for action in a statement on Sunday: "The FPÖ now has an urgent need for explanation and action." The party must disclose how many employees of this right-wing thug group work in its ranks and distance itself from them. Hammer announced parliamentary questions to FPÖ National Council President Walter Rosenkranz as well as to the Ministry of the Interior; among other things, it should be clarified whether the police on the scene acted correctly.

SPÖ federal managing director Klaus Seltenheim spoke of another scandal in the context of the "close proximity of the FPÖ to the Identitarians." He called on Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) to "immediately examine all legal requirements for the expulsion of a second suspect." Specifically, he demanded: "The interior minister is now on the spot and must promptly examine whether Yannick Wagemann can be removed from the country." There must be no safe haven for extremists in Austria – "regardless of whether they come from Islamist, left-wing extremist, or right-wing extremist networks."

FPÖ National Council President Walter Rosenkranz had only a few days earlier publicly defended that (former) Identitarians work in parliament. Within the Burschenschaft Leder itself, tensions had already previously arisen; the rectorate of the Montanuniversität Leoben had expressly distanced itself from the fraternity, the festival banquet, and the keynote speaker in the run-up to the festival. Following the incident, the Burschenschaft Leder was excluded from future events of the Montanuniversität Leoben.

Keynote Speaker Helferich and Montanuniversität's Distancing

The keynote speaker at the festival banquet was the German AfD member of the Bundestag Matthias Helferich, who was expelled from the AfD because of his right-wing extremist views; the expulsion is not yet legally final. In the run-up to the festival, the rectorate and student representation of the Montanuniversität had publicly spoken out against Helferich's invitation.

The case evokes memories of an incident in front of the Identitarian cellar in Vienna a few weeks ago, in which men are also said to have kicked a person lying on the ground. As research has shown, the now former FPÖ employee is said to have been involved in the cellar, where combat training and boxing matches also take place. During a search about a week ago, the authorities found the cellar "almost swept clean." A police patrol called by a neighbor had, according to the STANDARD's account, previously allowed itself to be "fobbed off" by Identitarian figure Martin Sellner without entering the cellar.

Further Incidents: Identitarian Cellar and Graz Police Operation

The public prosecutor's office announced that new findings were expected by the end of July. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies to all accused. The FPÖ declared that it knew "nothing further beyond the media reporting" about the incident and emphasized that the person involved in the case was no longer a current employee.

At the same time, security authorities point to a further context: At the Identitarian federal camp, where, according to a STANDARD report, training is said to have taken place on "how to eliminate enemies," there was no police operation. In contrast, in an incident in Graz, in which a fraternity member is said to have had his cap snatched off and fallen, the police turned out in large numbers – including Interpol and a door broken down at dawn; an uninvolved woman woke up with guns pointed at her. This operation was later partially declared unlawful.

The case is likely to further intensify the political debate over the connections between far-right structures and the FPÖ. Observers point out that the Identitarians have announced a demonstration in Vienna for July; it remains open whether the police will once again escort the event. No statement from the Ministry of the Interior was available by editorial deadline regarding the demands of Seltenheim and Hammer.