Omofuma Denkmal (Omofuma memorial) by Ulrike Truger, 2003
Mariahilfer Straße
Vienna, June 2018
“Marcus Omofuma (10 May 1973 – 1 May 1999) was a Nigerian asylum seeker in Austria who died due to police brutality while being deported. His death became a symbol for anti-racist movements in Austria. Omofuma was part of the Yoruba fraternity Ogboni and was escaping Nigeria from death threats within the fraternity. In 1994, he arrived in Germany and failed to gain asylum. In November 1998, he fled to Austria and again sought for asylum due to his persecution by the Ogboni fraternity. The Austrian authorities declined his asylum in two instances and detained him from December 1998 on. On 1 May 1999, 25-year-old Omofuma was being deported from Austria. Three police officers put him in a plane operated by Balkan Airlines to Sofia. Because he was resisting, they fettered and gagged him and fixed him on his plane seat. The tape that was used to fetter him was not checked during the whole flight and it made it impossible for him to breathe. He died painfully during the ca. 1 hour flight. His death was realized when landing in Sofia.” (Marcus Omofuma, Wikipedia)
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