Activist Anja Windl is banned from residence: Protest against the system!

Activist Anja Windl is banned from residence: Protest against the system!

Klagenfurt, Österreich - The Federal Office for Foreign Affairs and Asylum (BFA) has given the climate protection activist Anja Windl a ban on stay in Austria. The decision that comes from the Leoben branch of the BFA has been available since last week and causes a sensation. Windl, which has been living in Klagenfurt since autumn 2017, is considered one of the most prominent characters of the Austrian section of the climate protection movement "Last Generation" in 2024 and has taken part in protest actions that included the transport blockade to combat the climate crisis. Her lawyer Ralf Niederhammer criticized the argument of the authority as unfounded, since the BFA justifies the ban with an alleged "serious danger to public order or security", which is derived from Windl's length of stay in Austria

Windl commented on the APA and described the measure as "an attempt to take peaceful protest". She explained that she would not voluntarily leave the country and feared "a disturbing way of dealing with activism". The checks of the BFA since March 2023 and the associated measures are in the context of the ongoing investigation by the Vienna public prosecutor. This is investigated against Windl and other former "last generation" members about suspected formation of a criminal association and serious property damage. These investigations were initiated in November 2023 and the question of the criminal relevance of the protests remains unclear.

success and challenges of the climate protection movement

The protests of the “last generation” not only included changes in transport policy, but also brought an intensive public discussion about the limits of activism. According to a report by eICTP influenced. Windl is described as a central figure in the recruitment of new members and in public relations, which ascribes a "leading role" within the organization.

The Ministry of the Interior has now emphasized that all relevant information systematically collected and the circumstances of each individual case are thoroughly checked. The aim of these measures is to protect public order and security. In the justification of the ban on residence, Windl is also attributed to a "querulatory tendency", which is perceived as a possible disturbance of public calm and order.

Developments related to Anja Windl throw a light on the current tensions between state regulation and civil society engagement in Austria, especially in the context of climate protection. The challenging position of climate protection movements in an increasingly polarized society illustrates that windls and other activists are suspected of exceeding the limits of what is allowed.