Problem in Innsbruck

No quick solution for the illegal tent camps

Anyone who "lives" under the bridge here is poor. How should the authorities deal with this?

(Bild: Birbaumer Johanna)

What will happen to the illegal tent camps in the Tyrolean capital? According to the city, the camping law does not apply to the emergency shelters in Innsbruck-Arzl. The next authority is on the ball, but it is back to square one and a number of questions need to be clarified.

Tents, sleeping bags and all kinds of belongings bear witness to the fact that a number of people have found a temporary "home" in the Arzl district. For example, at the Haller Straße overpass near the junction with Schusterbergweg and Schützenstraße - the "Krone" reported.

The hygienic conditions and safety are questionable, the dense traffic on Haller Straße roars past. Back in March, the mobile monitoring group launched a control campaign, with talk of a "clearance period". But there was also talk of "sensitivity", of not simply disposing of the meagre possessions in the garbage.

Tents below Haller Straße in Arzl.

(Bild: Birbaumer Johanna)

Action for disturbance of property - but to whom?
One thing is clear: the tent camps still exist. The MÜG now admits: "It has become clear that we cannot intervene under the Tyrolean Camping Act, as it is not a tourist use." The landowner of the road (i.e. the state) is responsible. In the urban area, the Innsbruck building district office is responsible for maintenance.

It turned out that we cannot intervene under the Tyrolean Camping Act, as it is not a tourist use."

Thomas Kolland, MÜG Innsbruck

However, this authority is back at the beginning of the problem. "The logical thing would be an action for trespass. But that raises the question of who I can send it to," explains Markus Leuthold from the district building authority. Local inspections by the "Krone" showed that people often only sleep there for a few hours.

Local residents attest to the people's inconspicuous behavior. One witness believes he knows that one of them is a woman who works at a social institution. The MÜG spoke of Eastern Europeans who were looking for work. The nearby emergency shelter is generally avoided by these people.