A Just Stop Oil-style group of eco-extremists have disbanded in Austria after telling followers they’ve been fined, arrested, and threatened into extinction.
The Last Generation group have become notorious for a huge wave of traffic-stopping protests across the country aimed at changing government energy policies.
Now they’ve told members they’ve given up the fight because they don’t believe they will ever win.
In an open letter on 7th August, which was obtained by Newsflash, they said: “We continued despite violence, death threats, arrests, detention, hatred, and fines amounting to tens of thousands of euros.
“We no longer see any prospects for success. Over the past two years, the government has been marked by complete incompetence.”
They blamed a government policy of carbon credits and increasingly tough legal crackdowns for their fate.
They said: “People have opted for fossil fuel displacement.
“We recognise that Austria wants to remain in fossil ignorance, thereby accepting shared responsibility for the deaths of billions of people.
“Society has failed. This makes us infinitely sad.”
But although the group says it has gone they still want followers to keep the donations and money rolling in.
They said: “We will use the remaining funds to cover the costs of criminalisation and investigations.
“Our donation channels will remain open, as there are still significant fines and high legal costs pending.”
But although the group may have gone, they hint that new ways of protesting are already being planned.
Their statement said: “We are making way for new beginnings. We have politicised more people than ever before and planted the seeds for a peaceful uprising.
“We are no longer the only ones unwilling to tolerate the government’s crimes. People will continue to organise and rise up against the destructive system.
“As of today, we are ending our protests and dissolving ‘Last Generation Austria.’
“We are filled with gratitude and awe for all the courageous individuals who protested with Last Generation Austria.”
Austria’s Interior Ministry documented 378 Last Generation protests and more than 1,060 arrests, with 230 criminal charges filed in 2023.
Several senior members are currently under investigation by the prosecutor’s office, as they’re suspected of causing damage to public property and involvement in a criminal organisation.
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Story By: Georgina Jedikovska, Sub-Editor: Georgina Jedikovska, Agency: Newsflash
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