Global climate strike

Weather chaos: Graz activists call for a political turnaround

The demonstrators met at Lendplatz with banners and signs.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

"Fridays for Future Graz" took to the streets on Friday afternoon for two reasons: the extreme weather of the past few days has opened the eyes of many, which is why the National Council elections will be a landmark election in terms of climate, explains spokesperson Alena Zöch. Hundreds of demonstrators supported the activists' demands.

"What would I like? Car-free cities!" chanted the crowd on Friday afternoon. It was by no means the first global climate strike called by "Fridays for Future", but this time the activists felt fired up by current events: "The storms have made many people realize that we are looking the climate crisis straight in the eye. Even people around me who aren't usually that interested in the climate have noticed," says Alena Zöch, spokesperson for Fridays for Future Graz.

Wearing a high-visibility vest, she marched along the cordoned-off streets with several hundred demonstrators. After speeches at Lendplatz, the route led down Keplerstraße from 2.30 p.m. and via Wickenburggasse, Glacisstraße and Wilhelm-Fischer-Allee to the final meeting point. The walk ended at Franz-Graf-Allee at around 4.00 pm.

Alena Zöch (20) is the press spokesperson for "Fridays for Future Graz".

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

"We deserve a chancellor who takes climate protection seriously"
Groups such as "Omas gegen Rechts", the alliance "Demokratie verteidigen" and political participants such as the Green Party politicians Judith Schwentner and Sandra Krautwaschl also took part. "We are not advocating for any party," says Zöch explicitly, "but we deserve a chancellor who takes climate protection seriously." The crowd shouted one of the activists' key demands: "What do we want? A climate protection law!" Zöch is convinced that the extreme weather events could finally bring about a turning point in climate policy.

Judith Schwentner and Sandra Krautwaschl (both "The Greens") also took to the streets.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

"It's frustrating that there have already been so many demonstrations and we're still needed," says the 20-year-old. She took part in a protest for the first time at the age of 14 and since then has dedicated almost all of her free time to climate protection. "But that's the job of politics," she says, annoyed.

Drivers had to take a wide detour
Drivers were also frustrated: The Styrian Provincial Police Directorate had given advance notice of the officially announced gathering, and the traffic police took care of closures and detour. It was recommended to "largely avoid the inner-city area or use public transport". Holding Graz provided information about changes to public transport.

Demonstrations were also held in Vienna, Linz and Klagenfurt - Salzburg will follow on Saturday. Two further events are planned for Graz on Saturday: "Bass gegen Hass" is a DJ collective campaigning against the shift to the right (15:00 to 17:30 on Lendplatz), "Kidical Mass" is calling for a child-friendly city (meeting point 14:00 on Franz-Graf-Allee, followed by bicycle parades). And on Sunday, the "Tour de Graz" will take place on the occasion of the Europe-wide car-free day from 3 p.m. (Hauptplatz).