Wave of protest rolls in

Climate protection in the constitution – or it gets “louder”

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

The "Last Generation" increased the pressure on the German government on Monday with a new demand: According to it, a basic right to climate protection should be enshrined in the constitution, otherwise they want to take the fight for climate protection to the streets even more intensively.

"If the government presents a binding plan to implement this right, then we will not carry out our announced protests," explained spokesperson Anna Freund at a press conference at the Museum of Folklore in Vienna on Monday. However, if this does not happen, "we will protest louder, more uncompromisingly and more strongly than ever before", said Freund.

Roman Dechler, Anna Freund, Katrin Weber, Helmuth Wachtler and Marina Hagen-Canaval from the "Last Generation" Austria(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Wave of protests starting next week
The "Last Generation" will be launching another wave of protests next week. In this context, Freund also referred to a large-scale protest on March 2 in front of the Museumsquartier in Vienna. According to the activists, they want to mobilize at least 100 participants for the large-scale protest. They want to make the actions more diverse, whether with or without superglue. "We are not ruling out any means," says Freund. The only restriction: "Our protests are always peaceful and non-violent." The group did not want to go into more detail on Monday.

We will protest louder, more uncompromisingly and more strongly than ever before.

Sprecherin Anna Freund

Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER

Spokeswoman Marina Hagen-Canaval also emphasized: "We are more numerous and more determined than ever before." There are currently over 150 people ready to protest. In addition, 200 sympathizers are working in the background.

"Time is of the essence"
Hagen-Canaval also explained on Monday that it is entirely possible to enshrine a fundamental right to climate protection in the constitution. "There has already been a feasibility study." What's more, even the ÖVP itself had discussed it in 2019. "So what are we waiting for?" said Freund. "Time is pressing. We need to remind people in politics that they have taken an oath."