Eight climate activists in Austria have been fined after a tense and emotional trial in Vienna, all because of a protest they say was meant as a warning about the climate crisis, according to Die Presse. They had blocked the busy A2 motorway near Vienna in November 2023, cementing their hands to the road to force the country to look up from everyday life and face a warming planet.
On Wednesday, the court found eight of them guilty of serious criminal damage and sentenced them to pay unconditional fines. Two others accepted a special deal to avoid full punishment under certain conditions. During the protest near Traiskirchen, Vösendorf and Wiener Neudorf, the group used a mixture of sand and superglue – their so‑called “mummy hands” – to fix themselves to the asphalt and stop traffic heading into Vienna.
Prosecutors said they had damaged critical infrastructure and put road safety at risk. Firefighters and police struggled to free them; normal solvents did not work, so in places they had to use tools like hammers and chisels to break them loose from the road. The motorway operator Asfinag later renewed parts of the surface and reported damages of about 20,000 euros, plus more than 5,000 euros in emergency costs.
In court, all of the accused said they took full responsibility for what they had done. They offered to cover the fire brigades’ costs but some refused to pay Asfinag, saying they wanted their money to go to those who had helped, not to the motorway company. Their lawyers described the action as a “cry for help,” asking the judge to see not just a crime, but a desperate attempt to protect the climate.
At one point, a defence lawyer even left the courtroom briefly to transfer more than 5,000 euros online directly to the volunteer fire services. The judge counted the confessions as a mitigating factor and imposed fines, but the ruling is not yet final. The huge case continues on 18 March, with a total of 47 people charged in connection with similar protests.
