Protest storm in ORF Tirol: Activists demand freedom of the press!

Protest storm in ORF Tirol: Activists demand freedom of the press!

Innsbruck, Österreich - On June 6, 2025, Pro-Palestinian activists stormed the ORF state studio Tirol in Innsbruck and protested ORF's reporting on the military conflict in Gaza. In addition to Palestine flags, the group also had large banners and went to the roof of the building, where they lit Bengalian fire. Only through timely safety precautions could worse prevent. This reports medianet.at.

In the meantime, a special operating command Cobra was consulted due to the danger of the situation, and some activists were arrested shortly before noon. ORF Tirol editor-in-chief Georg Laich said that the activists' concerns were accepted, but they were asked to leave the building. Before the state studio, there was also an unvited demonstration with around ten participants, as the press reported.

concerns about freedom of the press

The incidents again highlight a highlight of the worrying situation of freedom of the press in Austria. Martin Wassermair, Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders Austria, expressed great concern about the attack. He emphasized that the radicalization of political debates endangered critical and independent media work. Rog President Fritz Hausjell also warned of the far-reaching consequences of politically motivated attacks on journalists and media companies. He described such attacks as a serious threat to freedom of the press and emphasized the need for diverse perspectives in journalistic work.

Hausjell concluded with the warning statement that violence against media significantly damages the efforts to solve conflicts and peaceful coexistence. These events reflect a global deterioration in freedom of the press. According to information from bpb.de, the situation of freedom of the press in many countries, also in Europe, is alarming. 42 countries worldwide are considered “very serious”. In Germany, for example, there was an increase in violence against journalists, especially since Corona pandemic.

political reactions and demands

Tyrol's security councilor Astrid Mair (ÖVP) criticized unauthorized penetration into the public building as "not acceptable". This view was shared by the federal green, which also emphasized that pressure on journalists should not be tolerated in any form. The "Palestine Initiative Tirol", which is committed to human rights and justice in Palestine, called for a statement to stop the "trivialization of the genocide in the Gaza Strip" by the media.

In summary, the events related to the ORF state studio Tirol illustrate the need to protect press freedom in Austria and worldwide. The radicalization of the discourse and the increasingly threatening situation for journalists question the basis of a functioning democracy.