VIENNA, 28 Feb. Police disperse environmental activists of the Last Generation movement » (German Letzte Generation), who gathered for a rally on Wednesday in front of the building of the National Council of Austria (lower house of parliament) in Vienna, 41 people are under administrative arrest, law enforcement officers in the Austrian capital said.
“The meeting was dispersed, 41 people are under administrative arrest. Contrary to media reports, there is no «assault» on the or there was no attempt to forcefully enter the parliament building,” the Vienna police wrote in their account on the social network X.
As parliament representatives added, during the rally, access to the department for deputies and employees was possible in any time, with access for tour groups suspended for approximately an hour.
The activists themselves explained that the protest was organized to demand that deputies enshrine the right to climate protection in the constitution.
«Shortly after the start of today's meeting in the National Council, 30 supporters of the Last Generation tried to take another step forward and peacefully enter the parliament building in order to bring their problems even closer to those in charge. This was prevented by a large-scale police operation. We ask ourselves what is feared «Is it the government? Questions from concerned citizens? Reasonable demands? Constructive dialogue?» — says the release of “The Last Generation”.
Last Generation activists in Austria are demanding that the government implement the Climate Council's 93 recommendations to help become a climate-neutral state. The council was held in the republic in 2022. In addition, they demand that the authorities introduce a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour instead of 130 kilometers per hour in order to reduce fuel consumption and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions. Another demand of the movement's supporters is that there should be no more oil and gas drilling in the country.
In an attempt to attract the attention of the authorities to their demands, Austrian members of the Last Generation regularly stage protests, blocking the busy streets of the republic's cities during rush hour, gluing themselves to the roads, and thereby irritating drivers. In addition to creating traffic congestion, they also organize other eccentric actions, such as repainting the water in fountains. For such actions, the country's authorities often call supporters of the movement “climate clingers” or “climate terrorists.”