A young Muslim man burst into Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna on Saturday morning shouting “Islamic slogans” until he was subdued and arrested by police.
Security officials cordoned off the cathedral and the surrounding area after the incident in preparation for Sunday’s Christian feast of All Saints’ Day.
Vienna City Police Command reported that the 25-year-old Afghan man made a “confused impression” on the police but that no weapons or questionable objects were found on his person or in the church building during a search. Nonetheless, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Combating Terrorism was alerted and is carrying out an investigation of the case.
Saturday’s incident followed a disturbance on Thursday at Vienna’s St. Anthony of Padua church, when a mob of nearly 50 young Turkish Muslims entered the church and began kicking the pews and confessionals.
St. Anthony’s is located in Vienna’s Favoriten district, a neighbourhood that is home to one of the Vienna’s largest Muslim populations. The pastor of the church who was present at the time notified the police, who eventually arrived after the young people had already dispersed.