Immigrants fight beggars in Salzburg

Austrian police were called after a group of 20 young men all with an immigrant background and armed with sticks laid siege to an abandoned factory in Salzburg where a group of Gypsy beggars had taken up residence.

Police have not yet commented on the reason for the altercation but have confirmed that in general there is a rapidly increasing number of beggars arriving in Austria particularly from Romania.

Two people were lightly injured as the gang of young men tried to smash their way into the building and also threw stones at the windows. The Romanians all believed to be ethnic Roma attempted to stop the men getting in.

A police spokesman said they were investigating over charges of making threats, causing bodily harm and damaging property. He also confirmed that there were several Romanian beggar groups that had taken up residence around the city.

All of the men involved in the incident were from the Lehen part of Salzburg.