Two weeks after the controversial Bleiburg commemoration, Austria indicted five Croatian and one Slovenian national on Thursday who had been arrested during the event for publicly displaying far-right insignia.

Five were charged for using a Nazi salute and one for wearing a Ustasha hat. Indictments were confirmed for Austria’s state broadcaster ORF by the spokeswoman of the Austrian state attorney office in Klagenfurt, Tina Frimmel-Hesse. The trial is expected to start in the next few weeks, with all six remaining in custody until then.

This year’s commemoration in the southern Austrian town was held on May 12 with unprecedented police presence, following a public debate after three Austrian MEPs called it a “platform for right-wing extremists”. The annual event commemorates civilians and soldiers loyal to the defeated Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia (NDH) who were killed in the closing days of World War II.

The event has long been controversial in Croatia, as displays of Croatian fascist Ustasha insignia and symbols were commonly displayed in the past at Bleiburg by right-wing and far-right groups. Since the 1990s, the event has gained support by mainstream politicians in Croatia, and is officially sponsored by the Croatian Parliament, which funds the event with 500,000 kuna (€67,500) per year.

This year’s main event, attended by some 10,000 people, ended without any major incidents.

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