Process Regarding Ban on Residence for Climate Activist Anja Windl Still This December

As the APA learned, the 28-year-old is scheduled to appear on December 3 at the Graz branch of the Federal Administrative Court (BVwG). The summons comes before the conclusion of the criminal investigations against Windl and her fellow activists of the former "Last Generation".

After an immigration procedure lasting more than two years, the BFA issued a two-year residence ban last March. Windl's lawyer, Ralf Niederhammer, subsequently filed an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court.

On Thursday, the court asked media representatives to observe the film and photography ban established in the house rules throughout the building, as well as the prohibition of video and audio recordings. "It is therefore requested that film and photo recordings be conducted exclusively outside the court building," a spokesperson informed the APA.

Anja Windl: Authority Speaks of "Massively Querulous Inclination"

The BFA refers in the notice to a "massively querulous inclination" of Windl, which is not an expression of activism but aimed at a "far-reaching disturbance of public peace and order," as stated in the document. The Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office has been investigating for more than two years on suspicion of forming a criminal organization and serious property damage against the student and other former members of the "Last Generation". So far, there is only a project report, which is still with the competent senior public prosecutor's office.

An action in front of the ÖVP party headquarters in Vienna is also listed as a reason. In January, Windl protested against the initiation of coalition talks between the ÖVP and FPÖ by smearing the People's Party headquarters on Lichtenfelsgasse with dog feces - motto: "You stink of brown shit".

Lawyer Criticizes Authority

Windl spoke on Thursday to the APA of "a warning signal for the state of our democracy". For Niederhammer, the BFA's approach is "somewhat curious". Windl has never been criminally convicted in Austria, yet the prerequisite for such a ban, given her long stay in Austria, is a "serious threat to public order or safety," the lawyer said in March. Instead, Windl is being accused of the activities of the "Last Generation". He is not aware of any comparable case in Austria.

Windl has been living in Klagenfurt since autumn 2017. The Bavarian student is considered one of the faces of the Austrian offshoot of the climate protection movement "Last Generation", which was dissolved in August 2024. Together with the group, she has protested against the federal government's climate policy in recent years, including with traffic blockades on roads or highways.

(APA/Red.)

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