“We need to get in people’s way so people listen to the science,” said climate activist Martha Krumpeck. The co-founder of the organization “Last Generation” had a conversation with State Secretary Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) in the “ZiB2” on Monday evening. The latter showed no understanding for actions such as getting stuck in the street, which she described as “disrespectful” and “off the mark”.
As reported, climate activists from the organization “Last Generation” are planning a series of protests in Vienna. The group is known for street tapes, attacks on paintings and a thwarted disruption of the New Year’s concert. People like Martha Krumpeck are more likely to be rejected by the political leadership (although the Greens believe there are sufficient mechanisms for taking legal action against climate activists, mind you). The Austrian State Secretary for Youth Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) is no exception with her attitude. The actions are inappropriate and disrespectful, “towards people who drive to work every day, police officers (…) and at the end of the day also to the taxpayer”, she said in the “ZiB 2” on Monday evening.
Actions not registered
Plakolm said fines are disproportionate to the cost of protective measures and police operations. In addition, the actions are not registered, so that protective measures cannot be taken in advance. The police had to leave shortly. Krumpeck countered that actions would only be approved “where nothing works,” which moderator Armin Wolf denied, who was reminiscent of corona demos in this regard. Ordinary demonstrations don’t get much further anyway, the Fridays For Future movement is once again being ignored, says Krumpeck. For them it is disrespectful if politicians do nothing to protect the climate.
More attention to climate protection
Plakolm and Krumpeck disagreed on many other matters as well. For example, Plakolm said the campaigns could not reach more people for climate protection, while Krumpeck spoke of more approval for climate protection. That she would get the chance to have a say on television would not be the case without actions. “Civil resistance is not a popularity contest,” she is sure. With an action at the New Year’s concert, the group wanted to reach the political elite and not the ordinary citizen, but many people did not like that either.
Plakolm in turn recalled “many achievements (of the government, memorandum) in recent years”, such as the Renewable Energy Expansion Act and the Co2 tax. At the same time, she pointed out that Austria is only responsible for a fraction of the global Co2 committee. The “last generation” would only have two requirements: 100 km/h on the autobahn and a ban on fracking. But more measures are needed. Krumpeck disagreed. These two requirements are only the simplest and can be implemented immediately. According to her, the cabinet “misses its own climate targets by a hair”.
Nonviolence only for humans?
As in the Krone TV Talk, Krumpeck stressed that non-violence was the top priority for all actions and that the group had nothing to do with cutting ties. You shouldn’t, she insisted. Besides, breaking things would be avoided, she replied when Wolf asked if the principle only applied to humans. “When property damage becomes part of everyday life somewhere, we open the door to vigilance,” said Plakolm. She spoke out for more innovations and fewer bans in the field of climate protection. In the “ZiB 2” she also welcomed the request for imprisonment of the governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, for activists.
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.
