Resistance to Fekters politics

The Austrian Minister of the Interior Maria Fekter visited Salzburg in January 2010 to speak at a meeting of business people. About 25 protesters were on the premises too – to publicly articulate their anger concerning Mrs. Fekters restrictive and racist ideas in migration and asylum politics.

In the end two protesters were imprisoned. On March 22nd they are on trial. They are accused of civil disorder and of aggravated assault.

“Because you’re an asshole!”

Before the meeting had started, the activists showed a banner “Fekter – Minister for Camps and Deportation”. They accompanied the Ministers entrance at the event with shouting and whistles. Twenty minutes later a few police men and women arrived. They were quite surprised by the situation and ordered a vast contingent of police forces.

After the event had – belatedly – started the protesters left the building. Two firecrackers outside of the meeting hall made the police escalate the situation. Two persons were arbitrarily and violently arrested, handcuffed and taken to the police station. One of them asked why, and got the answer “Because you’re an asshole.” Other protesters were told the two arrested persons would only be questioned for the records. The manifestation ended officially, the police checked the identity cards of many participants who now face prohibitive fines.

Four hours later the two arrested protesters were suddenly accused of aggravated assault of a policeman and civil disorder and imprisoned in solitary confinement for two days by order of the public prosecutor. 46 hours later the examining magistrate let them go. March 22nd they have to defend themselves against fabricated accusations vefore a trial in Salzburg.

No criminalisation of resistance to inhumane asylum politics

This is how Austria today tries to criminalise public resistance to restrictive and racist migration and asylum politics. At the outer borders of the “Fortress Europe” these politics are enforced by military forces. The death toll is anacceptable. Asylum politics is not a question of political style; for many it is a question of life or death.

In the face of official harrassment, maltreatment and torture of migrants there is no alternative to resistance and protests. Austrian police and justice are made by politics to exert tremendous pressure to many political groups, organisations and also single persons who work against inhumane politics. Law is bent according to political needs (for instance §278a StGB).

An authoritarian state is able to make protesting impossible with the help of laws that are finalised today under the pretext of security. We are not willing to let this happen.

Stop the political trials!
Right of residence for all!