Austrian rapper accused of broadcasting neo-Nazi songs is arrested
Suspect’s music was played during a livestreamed antisemitic attack in 2019
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An Austrian rapper has been arrested for allegedly making and broadcasting neo-Nazi songs.
The man, who uses the pseudonym Mr Bond and has posted on neo-Nazi forums since 2016, has been on the radar of Austrian intelligence officers for months, The Guardian reports.
On Tuesday (2 February), an interior ministry statement announced that the suspect had been arrested, accused of producing and broadcasting Nazi ideas and incitement to hatred after his home was searched.
Police found and seized a mixing desk, hard disks, weapons, a Third Reich-era military flag and other Nazi paraphernalia.
“The words of his songs glorify National Socialism and are antisemitic, racist and xenophobic,” the interior ministry statement said.
One of Mr Bond’s songs was played during a livestreamed antisemitic attack in the German city of Halle in October 2019, during which a man shot dead two people after a failed attempt to storm a synagogue during Yom Kippur.
When he appeared on trial last year for the terrorist incident, attacker Stephan Balliet said he had picked the music as a “commentary on the act”.
Balliet was jailed for life by a German court in December.