Austria impose a ban on residence against climate activist Anja Windl

Austria impose a ban on residence against climate activist Anja Windl

The German climate activist Anja Windl was banned by the Austrian authorities with a two -year ban on stay. The Federal Office for Foreign Affairs and Asylum (BFA) made this decision and was issued by the Leoben branch. The decision has been available since last week and has already triggered sharp reactions. Windl's lawyer, Ralf Niederhammer, criticized the prohibition as unfounded and announced that it would temporarily postpone the appeal to the Federal Administrative Court, which could temporarily postpone the deadline for leaving the country, such as reported.

The allegations against Windl not only include their activities within the “last generation”, but also their presence on social media. The BFA assumes that with your actions you want to change the political situation in Austria. In this regard, Windl's lawyer expressed ambiguity about the risk that a ban on stay would justify. He points out that Windl is only committed to compliance with the climatic claims, which should be regarded as a legitimate expression of political engagement and not as a threat, such as Weekend.at determined.

Windl itself described the ban on stay as an attempt by the Austrian government to take peaceful protest. She emphasized that she would not leave Austria voluntarily. The Ministry of the Interior said that all relevant information is collected and the circumstances of each individual case are examined exactly, which shows that this topic is dealt with comprehensively. Windl has lived in Klagenfurt since autumn 2017 and is considered one of the faces of the climate movement in Austria.

climate protests and their consequences

The "last generation" had pointed out the urgency of climate policy through numerous protests and found both supporters and critics. Traffic blocks were a central element of these forms of protest. However, these activities also led to a massive resistance of the authorities, which are now trying to counteract such actions with legal means.

The situation around Anja Windl raises questions about the limits of political protest and dealing with climate activists. Their history exemplifies the conflict between committed citizens who are fighting for climate protection, and the state institutions, which are increasingly restricting their scope for action. At the same time, it remains to be seen how the legal disputes about the ban on stay will assume. Further information on this provides ORF Kärnten .