Climate activists blocked several streets in Vienna just in time for the end of the holiday season. This continues through Friday. Every day. The activists are already announcing a February wave if their demands are not met. And they hope for a rain of money.
On the first day, the environmentalists mainly focused on access roads to schools. Gymnasiumstraße, Burggasse and the Rossauer Lände were occupied shortly before 8 am. There was a major traffic jam.
Just the beginning
But that’s just the beginning. The blockades will continue daily through Friday. “We have a precise plan of action and a plan B in case information about the police leaks out in advance,” says Florian Wagner of the last generation. The participants are only informed of their “site” one day in advance. The activists continue to call for 100 km/h on the highways and “Stop fossil fuels”.
And they make it clear that they are not giving up. “We will continue our actions until our demands are met,” Wagner said. If politicians do not respond to the week of action, the next wave will come in February – in Vienna and also in the federal states. The police left with 100 extra officers. Those involved risk fines or alternative custody. “We don’t want anyone to pay the fine, but rather go to jail,” says the activist spokesman.
Activists hope for money rain from the climate fund
The last generation in Austria is currently mainly financed by donations. The aim, however, is to join the Climate Emergency Fund – a multimillion-dollar fund that supports environmental protests worldwide. “Then we could hire climate activists like in Germany,” says Wagner. Environmentalist as a profession, so to speak.
Back to Monday’s blockade: the drivers were clearly annoyed by the delays on their way to work, but remained surprisingly calm – the management had no reports of any aggression towards the protesters. Many stressed that their professional commitments and routes left them with no real alternative to the car.
Even against the climate stickers, the police remained calm, professional and polite: “Which hand do you have the fewest stickers on? Then we’ll start with that,” said one of the officers as he rescued an activist from the street.
“What they do is too much”
However, the environmental guerrillas can hardly hope for real popular support. For example, two 13-year-old girls emphasized on their way to school that climate protection is logically important to them, just because of their age, but: “What they are doing is too much – even if politicians are not doing anything. There are many ways to get active. They have to come up with something else.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
