Police in Vienna under fire over excessive use of force against teenagers

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA (AA) - Police in Austria’s capital are facing criticism after a video emerged Tuesday showing officers using excessive force against teenagers on New Year’s Eve.

The footage, which was spread on social media, showed masked police officers in Vienna attacking young people with batons, pushing, insulting, threatening and hitting them after they were found setting off firecrackers to welcome the new year.

Photos of the injured teenagers were also posted online showing they had scratches on their hands and abrasions on their foreheads.

The video drew harsh reactions from users of Twitter after it was shared on the microblogging platform.

Many local journalists and authors also took to social media to express their displeasure.

Following the wave of criticism, the Vienna Police Department said they are aware of the incident and promised that it would be investigated.