Crowds, traffic chaos, and a heavy police presence: tens of thousands of Muslims gathered on Vienna's Danube Island to celebrate the end of Ramadan. In Australia, a breaking of the fast event descended into controversy.

At dawn on the last day of Ramadan, around 60,000 people assembled in Vienna-Floridsdorf to mark the conclusion of the fasting month. Celebrations in the 21st district of the Austrian capital, particularly around Bruckhaufen, began around 5 a.m. and continued until noon.

The large turnout caused significant traffic disruptions in the area, particularly on the Floridsdorfer Brücke bridge and Arbeiterstrandbadstraße, where long queues and delays formed. Many drivers found themselves spending considerably more time on their journeys than usual.

The gathering had been announced in advance, and police were deployed in large numbers to oversee the event. Numerous police units were present to ensure safety and coordinate proceedings, according to Exxpress.hu.

Despite the large crowd, the religious gathering largely proceeded peacefully. The focus for participants was on communal prayer and the ceremonial conclusion of Ramadan. However, for the authorities, managing such a large-scale operation posed logistical challenges in the early hours of the morning.

Controversy During Mosque Visit in Australia

During a breaking of the fast prayer at Australia’s largest mosque, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced fierce criticism. He attended the event alongside Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke when sudden booing erupted from the crowd.

Some protesters hurled insults at the politicians, calling for their departure and leveling serious accusations against them. Eventually, a security guard subdued one particularly aggressive protester and escorted him away, but the atmosphere remained tense.

One organizer attempted to calm the situation, reminding attendees that Eid is a joyous occasion. However, even as they left the mosque, the booing continued.

The Prime Minister tried to downplay the incident, describing the overall event as positive and suggesting that the interruptions should be viewed in light of the large number of participants. The protests were sparked by the Australian government’s decision to ban the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.