By Simon Welebil
After more than two years in which climate activists in Germany blocked roads with sticking actions, today they have announced in a broadcastto end the chapter of sticking and roadblocks and to want to protest in a different form from now on. The number of protesters with the Last Generation would have increased a hundredfold, opening up new opportunities for them. From March onwards, they want to call for “disobedient assemblies” across Germany and increasingly confront politicians and other decision-makers with their responsibility for the climate crisis in front of cameras. What does this last generation strategy change in Germany now mean for the independent sister organization in Austria? We asked the spokesperson for Last Generation Austria, Marina Hagen-Canaval, about this.
Andreas Stroh
Simon Welebil/FM4: The Last Generation in Germany has announced that it will stop road blocking and instead take other forms of action. What about the Last Generation Austria in this regard?
Marina Hagen-Canaval: Yes, we in Austria will also continue our protests. Sometimes with glue, sometimes without, as was the case recently in Schladming. We are also constantly developing our forms of protest. We try color protests, creative protests, event crashes and so on. But we will continue to stay in Austria from time to time.
What’s behind your decision to stick with gluing? What else do you expect from this?
The situation in Austria and Germany is slightly different. The German project, which is independent of ours, is a bit older, they are a bit further along than we are in Austria, and the repression is simply different. We just noticed that in Austria we can create political pressure very, very well by protesting with manageable legal consequences – on the streets, because we have a very, very good assembly law. And that’s why we will continue to do this. For example, the ban on the destruction of new goods is a fundamentally reasonable demand, which makes one ask: Why don’t we have that? Then we stop protesting. But as long as that doesn’t happen, we will continue to take to the streets and demand it, thus putting the government in trouble by disrupting everyday life. Now they have a choice: either introduce the simplest measures or lock peaceful people in prison.
That means you can still expect an effect from blocking the roads.
In any case. We see it in the media fallout, we are very data-driven. If we stand on a sidewalk somewhere with a sign, then unfortunately no one is interested. But when we protest on the streets, there is corresponding media coverage. A lot of people notice this and then join in the discussion. And that opens up a space for discussion in society. Civil resistance is not about being popular, but about making people aware of the deadly threat.
Anti/Last Generation
Isn’t it the case that in this whole discussion about forms of action, the content that you actually want to convey is neglected?
We shouldn’t talk about whether it’s good to stick to the road or not. Nobody wants to do that. We only do it because it works. But it would be much more important that we talk about what life means in a world that is three degrees hotter. This means famines, droughts, extreme weather, storm damage that is no longer insurable, weather damage, flooded, washed-out houses and so on. It’s about preventing that. And that’s why we choose this disruptive form of protest, which is unpopular, simply because we want to say to people: Hello, please wake up, we are in an emergency situation!
You are part of the international A22 network. Is there something like a common strategy?
We meet regularly and coordinate. There are also considerations about developing an international strategy and that makes sense because the climate catastrophe is also an international problem.
Where are your strategy discussions at the Austrian group currently?
We want the climate issue to be the most important election issue. And we also want to make it better known climate change demanded. For example, a ban on the destruction of new goods, which means that food cannot be thrown away. Or massive investments in building renovations, which benefit poorer people, for example.
Does that mean you will be stepping up with even more activities this election year?
Yes, exactly. We will confront all parties with the fact that their election programs are not enough to secure a future worth living. No party in Austria has ever had an election program or a government program that was suitable for 1.5 degrees. And we will consistently demand that.