Identitarians Under Criminal Suspicion Following Attack on Leoben Taxi Driver – Search of Identitarian Basement

One of the attackers reportedly choked the taxi driver and brought him to the ground, where he was kicked multiple times. The taxi driver alerted emergency services and tried to prevent the fleeing men from escaping so they could be identified by police. Police arrived but did not enter the basement, into which the suspects had retreated.

What Happened in Leoben?

During a search of the Identitarian Basement in Vienna's fifth district on Thursday, police and the Vienna city's rapid response unit found, among other things, barriers used for boxing matches held in the basement. Investigations under the Prohibition Act are also being examined, as stickers in the basement could violate legal provisions.

According to further APA reports, the suspects are said to be leading cadres of the IBÖ. One of them is reportedly a young German man who had appeared on social media for several years as the new face of Vienna's Identitarians and apparently deleted his public profiles after the incident in Leoben. Among other things, he is being investigated on suspicion of incitement in connection with an Instagram post.

Search of the Identitarian Basement

Another suspect is reportedly a long-standing Austrian Identitarian who, until a few weeks ago, was registered as a parliamentary assistant to an FPÖ member of parliament. According to STANDARD and ORF research, a total of ten to twenty parliamentary assistants had appeared in the files of the domestic intelligence agency.

Connections to the FPÖ

The FPÖ member of parliament Michael Oberlechner had hired the now-suspect individual in July 2025. The FPÖ told APA that the employment relationship had already been terminated weeks earlier. Oberlechner told STANDARD that political activism was – "regardless of the specific orientation – a youthful phenomenon and, given my employee's clean record, certainly not an obstacle to working in the institutions of democracy."

National Council President Walter Rosenkranz rejected the findings in the "Kurier" and explained that the domestic intelligence report "contains a lot." In addition, investigations are being conducted against the Austrian suspect for incitement in connection with an Instagram entry, and a review under the Prohibition Act is also pending.

Reactions and Political Consequences

Just weeks before the incident in Leoben, there had already been an assault in front of the Identitarian Basement, in which a man was allegedly kicked even while on the ground, according to witness statements. The Burschenschaft Leder had repeatedly made headlines in recent years, including through contacts to the German far-right scene. The presumption of innocence applies to all named individuals.

The Vienna Police and the public prosecutor's office are continuing their investigations. It remains unclear whether additional persons will be included in the case and whether charges will be brought for bodily harm, incitement, or under the Prohibition Act. The political consequences for the FPÖ are also not yet foreseeable, as the party has so far pointed to the existing personnel change.