On Saturday afternoon, about ten activists occupied an empty house in Andräviertel in Salzburg. They wanted to express their dissatisfaction with vacancy, speculation and increasingly expensive rents. The collective chose a very special object for the campaign: it is owned by Marcel Hirscher.
“Consumption-free spaces instead of closed gates” was one of the slogans that activists repeated time and again on Saturday afternoon. Around noon, a dozen people occupied an empty house on Franz-Josef-Strasse – criticizing the many empty houses and apartments in Salzburg.
Microphone, music, a pot of food and flyers
“As more and more people are threatened and affected by homelessness, job opportunities are being speculated at their expense. Few profit on the backs of many,” the collective justified the campaign in a broadcast. With a microphone, music, a pot full of food and flyers they tried to draw the attention of many passers-by to their project. It read: “We don’t want to live in an amusement park for tourists and the wealthy. What we want and need is a city for everyone.”
For the campaign, the activists chose the house of a well-known Salzburger: that of ex-ski star Marcel Hirscher. He bought the vacant house and 471 square meters of land at the end of March 2021. The activists clearly knew that – they asked the ski ace through a banner: “Marcel, be leiwand once.” How “leiwand” Hirscher found the action remained open – he declined to comment.
Action passed peacefully and was over quickly
The Salzburg police positioned themselves with their agents around the house and blocked part of the street, and the fire brigade also intervened. However, the officials did not have to intervene, the occupation proceeded peacefully. After about four hours, the action ended – the activists voluntarily left the building in the afternoon.
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.
