After-ski brawls in Tyrol continue: German man injured, six Dutch suspects sought
Six Dutch suspects are wanted by Austrian police after allegedly assaulting a 19-year-old German man two days ago in Tyrol. The victim was hit in the face with a ski boot. Once on the ground, he was repeatedly kicked in the torso, Austrian police say.
The man sustained severe injuries and was moved from Schwaz District Hospital to Innsbruck University Clinic. The local police have launched an investigation into the identities of the perpetrators, who they report are between 18 and 20 years of age.
According to AD, the incident occurred after the German had gotten into an argument with a group of Dutch in Mayrhofen, a popular skiing destination in Tyrol.
The incident forms part of a string of violent events involving Dutch tourists over the Christmas holidays in Tyrol, one of which included a fight in an après-ski bar in St. Anton am Arlberg, where Nazi chants were reportedly made. Separately, a wild fight outside a bar in Sölden (also in Tyrol) involving a group of Dutch tourists and a German man earlier this winter left the German holidaymaker injured after he was struck with a beer mug during the altercation.
These repeated violent encounters, occurring in a short span of time around Christmas and Boxing Day, have drawn attention from local police and tourism officials in Tyrol, who are concerned about the safety and reputation of these resorts during peak season.
Law enforcement has increased patrols and investigations to crack down on drunken brawls and to deter further disorderly conduct among tourists.
