Last Generation climate group disband in Austria blaming lack of success
Austria's Interior Ministry recorded 230 criminal charges for members of the group in 2023, with the activists repeatedly blocking roads and causing disruption.
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00:00The Austrian branch of the Climate Action Group Last Generation announced that they
00:06are disbanding and ending their protests. Activists say that they aren't seeing any
00:10prospect for success and that the government is not responding to their requests.
00:15The form of protest was absolutely necessary at the time we decided to do it. We needed
00:20a certain daily disruption. At the end of the day, the problem of failure is that not
00:25enough people dared, didn't have the courage to stand up peacefully against the government
00:30and to oppose it.
00:32Last Generation had several tactics but mostly relied on disruptive forms of action. One
00:37of the group's infamous acts includes blocking traffic by gluing themselves to busy roads
00:42and airport tarmacs.
00:46Communication experts say that this form of disruption does catch the public's attention
00:50but is often short-lived and does not result in political change.
00:55I think it's better this way. Why?
00:57Because they won't achieve anything with it.
00:59Why?
01:01Because it has to be decided on a high level and not on the streets.
01:06I don't think it's good because the attention of climate activists has already contributed
01:10to people starting to think.
01:13Activists of the group claim that this does not mean the resistance is over, but instead
01:18that it is time for new and different campaigns to form.