“Fridays for Future Graz” will take to the streets on Friday afternoon for two reasons: the extreme weather of the past few days has opened many eyes, and therefore the elections for the National Council will be groundbreaking when it comes to climate, explains press spokeswoman Alena Zöch. Hundreds of demonstrators support the activists’ demands.
“What would I like? Car-free cities!” the crowd chanted on Friday afternoon. This is far from the first global climate strike that “Fridays for Future” has called for, but this time the activists feel fueled by current events: “The storms have made many people realize that we are staring the climate crisis straight in the eye. Even people around me who are not so interested in climate notice this,” says Alena Zöch, press spokesperson for “Fridays for Future Graz”.
Dressed in a safety vest, she marches with several hundred demonstrators through the cordoned-off streets. After speeches on Lendplatz, the route leads from 2:30 p.m. through Keplerstraße via Wickenburggasse, Glacisstraße and Wilhelm-Fischer-Allee to the final meeting point. At Franz-Graf-Allee it ends around 4 p.m.
“We deserve a chancellor who takes climate protection seriously”
Also participating are groups such as “Grandmas Against the Right,” the alliance “Defend Democracy,” and political participants such as Green Party politicians Judith Schwentner and Sandra Krautwaschl. “We do not speak out for any party,” Zöch says explicitly, “but we deserve a chancellor who takes climate protection seriously.” The crowd shouts one of the activists’ central demands: “What do we want? A climate protection law!” Zöch is convinced that the extreme weather conditions could finally mark a turning point in climate policy.
“It’s frustrating that there have been so many demonstrations and they still need us,” says the 20-year-old. She first took part in a protest at the age of 14 and has since devoted almost all of her free time to climate protection. “That should be the job of politicians,” she says angrily.
Drivers must give priority to large areas
Drivers may also be frustrated: the Styrian State Police have informed in advance about the officially announced meeting, and the traffic police are providing closures and diversions. It is recommended to “avoid the city center as much as possible or use public transport”. Holding Graz provides information about changes in public transport.
There are also demonstrations in Vienna, Linz and Klagenfurt. Two more events are planned in Graz on Saturday: “Bass gegen Hate” is a DJ collective campaigning against the shift to the right (3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Lendplatz), “Kidical Mass” calls for a child-friendly city (meeting point 2:00 p.m. on Franz-Graflan, followed by bicycle parades). And on Sunday, to mark the car-free day across Europe, the “Tour de Graz” will take place from 3:00 p.m.
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.
