Austria's interior ministry has issued a warning regarding a noticeable increase in the country's extreme right scene, following the arrest of two men in separate cases. This comes amidst growing concern over the rise of far-right extremism in the country and across Europe. The arrest of the two men comes in the wake of hundreds of thousands joining rallies against the far-right AfD party in Germany, sparked by reports of discussions within the party about the expulsion of immigrants and non-assimilated citizens.

Among those involved in the talks was Martin Sellner, leader of Austria's Identitarian Movement, which is known for subscribing to conspiracy narratives about the replacement of Europe's native white population by non-white migrants. The so-called 'New Right' has been identified as the greatest challenge in the area of right-wing extremism by Austria's interior ministry, with the Identitarian Movement being named as part of this grouping. The ministry noted that there has been a noticeable influx into the extreme right scene, although exact numbers are difficult to determine.

Two men have been arrested in separate cases, one for alleged involvement in the international white supremacist group Feuerkrieg Division and the other for allegedly subscribing to Nazi ideology. The 20-year-old is currently being held while investigations are ongoing. The New Right has been highlighted for taking advantage of various crises in recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and inflation, to strengthen their structure and propagate their extremist ideology. The ministry also pointed out the high affinity for weapons within the New Right, citing past incidents of violent tendencies, riots, and attacks on the police. The arrest and the warning from the interior ministry serve as a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by far-right extremism in Austria and the need for vigilance and concerted efforts to address this issue.