321 reports, a huge amount of extra work and enormous delays: this is how the police and Holding Graz summarize after a week full of campaigns from the last generation in Graz. From pouring rain, poster campaigns by opponents and creative ideas to take action against the activists, everything was there.
Before the Grande Finale in Graz, another 20 climate stickers were placed on Geidorfplatz half an hour earlier than usual, at 7:30 am on Friday, to block early traffic – we reported.
Failure of lines very challenging
The result was considerable traffic jams on alternative routes, but six bus lines were also canceled. “Delays have been massive all week,” said Holding Graz spokesman Gerald Zaczek-Pichler. “Detours were often not possible, we could only shorten a few lines.” Countless adjustments meant an enormous extra effort: “A challenge!”
Even after the resolution – on Friday at 9 a.m. – there are still almost an hour of deviations before everything returns to normal. Fortunately, although there were repeated calls throughout the week to ask what was going on, there were no insults or arguments, Pichler says. In general, in the event of such delays, passengers should still ensure that they have a valid ticket, as the reason is not the responsibility of Holding Graz.
321 ads on activist account
Because the climate activists had already announced protests all week in advance, the police was also expanded. The increased presence was noticeable throughout the week and the officers were immediately on site for the actions every day. “Situations like this pose a fundamental challenge to the police force, as they always entail an additional and significant expenditure of resources that must be managed in parallel with regular operations,” said the city’s police chief, Thomas Heiland, of the extraordinary week. .
A total of 321 declarations were made, mainly related to the Assembly Act, the Security Police Act and the Road Traffic Act. The Graz professional fire brigade and the rescue service were also involved in the operations.
Are the streets of Graz free now?
Can the people of Graz trust the timetables again after this week and can aid organizations take a deep breath again? In any case, the activists are closer to their goal with a meeting with city officials (mayor Elke Kahr, deputy mayor Judith Schwentner and probably SPÖ regional councilor Doris Kampus) at the end of April. But one of the participants said, “Let’s see if we’re up for it again on Monday.”
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.
