After a painting by Klimt was doused with paint on Tuesday, the museum director and one of the activists meet for the first time in a conversation with Katia Wagner. While the head of the Leopold Museum in Vienna, Hans-Peter Wipplinger, describes such actions as “last-class”, Martha Krumpeck of the organization Last Generation defends herself: “We are sorry to get on people’s nerves. But we are desperate and need every platform.” Wipplinger estimates the damage of the action at 15,000 euros and announces that he will sue the activists…
The costs were incurred by “21 police officers, paramedics and restaurateurs”. Martha Krumbeck of the action group Last Generation is not yet impressed. “Lock us up!”, she demands, actually 15,000 euros should be paid. “Do you really think this is fun? It happens out of sheer necessity and desperation, because we tried everything and it wasn’t enough!” she explains.
Museum director: “Aggression against this movement”
The director of the Leopold Museum understands that people are committed to climate protection, but not to such actions. “There is aggression against this movement and it is detrimental to this important cause!” said Wipplinger. An unglazed photograph hangs in his museum just a few feet from Klimt’s paint-covered painting. “Such paint splashes spread easily,” he warns. He has already received emails from freeriders threatening further action if he does not cancel the cooperation.
Where does the action group get its money from?
The head of the Vienna ÖVP, Karl Mahrer, is hard on the climate movement. He sees no act of desperation, but assumes the group is having “fun in action”. “They want to block traffic, they want to damage works of art and trample on climate protection,” he mutters. He hopes that administrative sanctions will be “completely exhausted” and that the costs of police action will be “reimbursed in full”. The former vice president of the police warns: “We also look carefully at where you get your money from!”
understanding of desperation
Peter Kraus of the Vienna Greens, on the other hand, understands the desperation and concerns of the activists. Without the campaign, the important topic of climate protection would not be discussed today. Yet he still wonders whether the protest form of actionism is the right one to make the blocking forces in politics think. He thinks Krumpeck’s demand for a speed limit of 100 km/h on the autobahn is sensible, but unenforceable due to the political situation.
FPÖ MP bumps into Gewessler’s air conditioner
FPÖ environmental spokesman Walter Rauch has little faith in the turquoise-green federal government. Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler has already “dissolved millions of tons of CO2” in her ministry and “had air conditioning installed”. His conclusion: “It taxes the citizen and gets the Gutzi’s out of it themselves”. He also has few kind words for the activists: for him, they are “climate terrorists” who have chosen an “abhorrent way” to draw attention to the climate crisis.
Activist: “We really don’t want that”
“We don’t really want to do these art events,” explains climate activist Krumpeck. However, it is still necessary because the climate protection movement needs to be brought into the minds of the people in an “unignorable” way. After all, she promises that the last generation will make sure to “keep the damage down” when it comes to actions. The group is unlikely to stop, as Krumpeck makes it clear: “The radicals are not the ones sitting on the streets, but the ones promoting fossil-based terrorism.”
You can watch “Katia Wagner – the talk” every Wednesday at 8:15 pm on krone.tv and at 11:00 pm on ntv Austria. Join the discussion and tune in!
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
