Climate blockades – Mikl-Leitner calls for “significant toughening of sentences”

In view of the announcement of disruptive actions in Vienna by climate activists, Mikl-Leitner said on Saturday: “Climate protection is an important concern for all of us. However, that does not justify obstructing rescue workers and thus endangering human lives.” A “significant increase in sentence” is needed, according to Mikl-Leitner, one should take the German scheme as a model – and criminalize endangering human life: “In the worst case with the threat of imprisonment.”

“Fines are not a deterrent”
At the moment, only fines would be threatened. “Of course that has no deterrent effect. It gives the impression that it is a trivial crime. This impression is unacceptable, because the opposite is the case and should therefore be punished accordingly,” the governor stressed.

In Germany, a fine or several years in prison would be threatened if a traffic obstruction “endangers the life or body of another person or other people’s property of considerable value”, it was explained. “Such a criminal law provision can also be implemented in Austria to prevent human lives from being endangered due to its general preventive nature,” said Mikl-Leitner. Such a regulation also ensures a “clear community approach against acts of sabotage such as tire cutting, which can lead to life-threatening situations”.

FPÖ demands observation of the scene by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The FPÖ had previously called for tightening of the sentences. The population must be protected from these “extremists who despise the constitution and democracy,” said FPÖ MP Christian Hafenecker. If his party has his way, he says, for example, tougher sentences and full monitoring of the “climate extremist scene” by the Bureau for the Protection of the Constitution are necessary.