Credit: APA/ALEX HALADA
Greenpeace activists hoisted a six-by-eight meter banner on the hotel’s facade that read “End Fossil Crimes!” (Eng. “Stop fossil crimes”). To do this, the environmentalists abseiled down from previously rented rooms. The climbers were secured from the rooms. The action started at 7:45 a.m.
At around 8:30 a.m., the police went to the hotel, which had been banned for an indefinite period on Monday. Other protesters had gathered in front of the hotel and loudly demanded the gas phase-out with boards. Greenpeace called for an immediate halt to new gas exploration and infrastructure projects. In addition, Europe must become independent of fossil gas by 2035 and rely on renewable energies instead, according to a broadcast.
According to Greenpeace, the search for fossil gas is also progressing unchecked in Austria. Both OMV and the Australian group ADX Energy would like to continue investing in the climate-damaging energy source in Austria. “The Austrian federal government must now act as a pioneer and initiate a law that puts an end to these fossil crimes,” demanded Jasmin Duregger, the environmental organization’s climate and energy expert. To do this, the Austrian federal government would have to pass a law that would definitively ban the development of further fossil sources with immediate effect and would allow the current production licenses to expire by 2035. A similar law is already in force in France.
traffic jams expected
A keynote speech by OMV CEO Alfred Stern is part of the conference program at the Vienna Marriott Hotel on the Ringstrasse itself on Tuesday. Austria’s largest mineral oil company will again act as host at the international three-day conference this year. A demonstration has also been announced for the evening.
In the run-up to the protest action from 6.45 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., the ÖAMTC motorists’ club expects traffic jams on the Ring, Franz-Josefs-Kai, near Roßauer Lände, Lower and Upper Donaustrasse, Praterstrasse, Vorderen Zollamtsstrasse, on the two Wienzeiles, the Area around Schwarzenbergplatz and on the so-called two-way line with traffic jams. Temporary closures on the Ring and Franz-Josefs-Kai are to be expected. The route of the demo train runs from Stephansplatz via Rotenturmstrasse – Franz-Josefs-Kai – Julius-Raab-Platz – Ringstrasse to Schwarzenbergplatz – Lothringerstrasse to Karlsplatz. According to the club, a thousand participants are expected.
Source: Nachrichten
