Palestinian Flags Hoisted: Activists Entered ORF in Innsbruck

A group of pro-Palestinian activists entered the regional studio of ORF Tirol on Innsbruck's Rennweg on Friday morning. There, they hoisted, among other things, Palestinian flags and protested against what they perceived as non-objective reporting. A demonstration that had not been registered took place in front of the building, a police spokesperson told APA. The police were present with forces on site, and the situation was under control, it was said.

ORF Tirol editor-in-chief Georg Laich explained to APA that the individuals had stormed into the building. They then spoke with them, "received their concerns," and emphasized that ORF indeed reports in a balanced manner on the Middle East and Gaza conflict. They then asked the occupiers to leave the building again, which initially apparently did not happen. The broadcast operation was not affected, also due to the security measures in the building.

How many suspects had entered the regional studio remained initially unclear. The broadcasting company could not specify this. The activists communicated via email and spoke of 14 members who had "occupied" ORF Tirol.

Ten Activists in Front of ORF Regional Studio in Innsbruck

Initially, ten activists gathered in front of the regional studio. An equal number of police cars were on site. The "rally" was initially peaceful. Meanwhile, four activists, almost entirely covered with Palestinian scarves, took over the transmission mast. There, they hoisted a large flag and next to it a smaller one with the inscription "Occupied." Bengal lights were also ignited, and "Freedom for Palestine" was chanted.

"After almost two years of genocide in Palestine, we have decided to occupy the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation in Tirol. We thereby accuse the Austrian state and the Austrian press of their complicity," said the occupiers in a statement available to APA. They demand a stop to the "trivialization of the genocide in the Gaza Strip by the media" and "solidarity with media workers in Palestine." They also oppose the "distortion of the term anti-Semitism": "Austria's complicity in the Holocaust must not be used to justify the genocide in Gaza."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.