Residence ban for Klima-Shakira: A protest against repression!

Residence ban for Klima-Shakira: A protest against repression!

The German climate activist Anja Windl, better known as “Climate Shakira”, has been banned from staying in Austria. The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) has decided that she must leave the country within one month and that her right of residence has been revoked for two years. Windl has lived in Austria for seven years, where she has her home and family. She expressed concern about the handling of peaceful protests and stated that she would not leave the country voluntarily. This decision has already caused an outcry in the climate protection movement.

The BFA's decision was issued by the Leoben branch and represents a reaction to Windl's activities. According to the BFA, there is a "serious threat to public order or security" that is attributed to her act of protest. Windl's lawyer, Ralf Niederhammer, was outraged by this and announced a complaint to the Federal Administrative Court. He argues that a residence ban requires serious justification.

Public reactions and support

The “Last Generation” group, which supports Windl, sees the ban as one of the harshest repressions against climate protectors in Austria. They criticize that Windl's peaceful protests are portrayed as a threat. Windl is credited with playing a leading role in recruiting new members and with a focus on public relations. Since November 2023, criminal investigations have been underway against her and other members on suspicion of forming a criminal organization and serious damage to property.

The Ministry of the Interior emphasizes that the assessment of alien law claims is carried out independently of criminal investigations. In addition, Windl has had several contacts with the police in the past, which, according to the BFA, led to her being banned from residence.

Political reactions and legal context

The current debate about Windl's residence ban falls into a larger context of climate protests in Austria. While politicians like the Lower Austrian governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) are calling for harsher punishments for climate activists, experts like criminal law professor Robert Kert see no need for reform. Kert argues that there are already sufficient penal provisions to intervene in dangerous situations and describes calls for harsher penalties as populist.

Activists often endure punishment and physical attacks to draw attention to the climate crisis. Lucia, a spokeswoman for the System Change not Climate Change platform, sees Mikl-Leitner's demands as an attempt to intimidate political protest. In Austria, blocking a road without violence is not a criminal offense, and even unregistered gatherings are protected by the right to freedom of assembly. However, a violent response to such protests could potentially have legal consequences for the attackers.

The conflict surrounding Anja Windl is therefore not just a question of the individual fate of a climate activist, but also reflects the tensions between state order and the right to peaceful protest. Given current developments, it remains to be seen how the legal disputes will unfold and what steps the “Last Generation” movement will take in this situation.