Star loses his nerve

Assinger gave the audience the finger

Presenter Armin Assinger lost his nerve at an event in Breitenfurt.

(Bild: Screenshot YouTube.com/C 3 – Communications, Connecting, Consulting)

ORF presenter and former ski star Armin Assinger gave the audience the middle finger at an event in Breitenfurt (Lower Austria). He was hosting a promotional event for a controversial real estate project. The ORF star emphasized that he had merely imitated a gesture previously directed against him.

In the Lower Austrian municipality, 310 apartments and a primary care center are to be built, and a referendum will be held on Sunday, although public enthusiasm has so far been limited. Assinger now hosted the "information event" on Monday evening in a packed multi-purpose hall - but he also became increasingly unpopular with the audience as time went on ....

Assinger puts the audience off
He answered questions that were actually addressed to someone else himself and devalued them. As first reported by "ZackZack" and also seen on video recordings, he had not seen any justification for one woman's question, another was "disrespectful" for him as it had been introduced too long. "There is no right to a view," he replied to a man who had previously had a meadow in front of his window instead of the medical center.

The event on YouTube, the fateful scene is at 2:49:25:

TV star finally loses his nerve
At 9.14 p.m., the Carinthian millionaire show presenter finally lost his nerve. A woman in the audience had denied him a neutral position, an unfriendly man is said to have provoked Assinger, as the presenter himself said. The Carinthian then stretched his right arm forward and gave the finger.

A clear gesture towards the audience - but Assinger himself had previously been the target of hostility.

(Bild: Screenshot YouTube.com/C 3 – Communications, Connecting, Consulting)

What does the ORF say?
"When Mr. Assinger arrived at the venue, he was insulted by a person in front of witnesses, which was accompanied by a corresponding gesture - the showing of the 'stinky finger'. Mr. Assinger merely described this incident at the podium and demonstrated the gesture directed at him," Michael Rami, lawyer for Assinger's marketing agency, announced.

In response to a question from "Krone", ORF said: "We maintain that respectful communication is one of the highest principles of ORF and its programs. However, the event in question and Armin Assinger's engagement, which did not require approval, are in no way connected with ORF or activities that Armin Assinger performs for programs that can be seen on ORF."

When Mr. Assinger arrived at the venue, he was insulted by a person in front of witnesses, which was accompanied by a corresponding gesture - the showing of the 'stinky finger'.

Michael Rami, Anwalt

The citizens' initiative "Zukunft Breitenfurt - wir reden mit" (Breitenfurt's future - we have our say), on the other hand, spoke of "hostility on the part of the moderator towards the citizens and opponents of the project". He had behaved in a "less than objective and very partisan manner". The event was organized by the marketing company that Assinger had also booked for it.

As reported, many citizens are concerned about nature in Breitenfurt due to the project. Opponents gathered before the event on Monday evening. The local council will vote on the rezoning on Sunday.