- The protest was on May 18 in Hohenems, near the Swiss border.
- Members of Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation participated
Shocking footage shows angry motorists knocking over eco-protesters, dragging them off the road and leaving them in tears as they tried to block traffic in Austria.
The May 18 demonstration was held by members of Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation in Hohenems, located near the Swiss border.
Seven climate activists blocked a roundabout leading to the A14 motorway, and the chaotic protest was one of five taking place at the same time at border crossings in the region.
Footage taken by one protester shows several angry drivers appearing to mistreat them, from pulling them off the road by the collar of their shirts to throwing them on the side of the road.
In one clip, a female protester wearing a high-visibility orange jacket and waving a yellow banner was picked up and thrown to the pavement before the enraged motorist raised his arms in anger and yelled at the protester.
Climate activists in Austria demonstrating on May 18 were thrown to the side of the road by angry drivers after trying to block traffic.
In a shocking video, a male eco-protester is seen being knocked to the ground by a moving vehicle.
Members of Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation stuck to a roundabout in Hohenems, near the Swiss border.
Another shot shows a group of at least four activists sitting and lying in the middle of the road as cars were forced to stop behind them.
Two drivers then grab each of the protesters lying on the ground by the arm and drag them away in an attempt to clear the road.
An elderly man wearing a yellow high-visibility suit was filmed in shocking scenes being hit by a moving vehicle as his legs were forcibly bent.
The driver of the vehicle then exits the car before putting his arms around the man and pulling him off the road.
Another clip shows an eco-protester flailing as two men carry him across a zebra crossing after attempting to disrupt the flow of traffic on the busy highway.
Activists were seen crying on the sides of the roads after being thrown, pushed and knocked to the ground by moving vehicles.
In a different clip from the protest, a man wearing a black cap and orange high-visibility glasses was seen flying backwards through the air after being hit by a white car.
After the vehicle made contact with his shins, the man was thrown back and left lying on the road in front of the car.
According to local police, three activists suffered abrasions and minor injuries in the incident.
The activists were seen thrown across the street by angry drivers and abandoned on the side of the road as motorists attempted to clear the lane.
According to local police, three activists suffered abrasions and minor injuries in the incident.
Motorists took matters into their own hands as they clashed with protesters on the Austrian highway.
Seven climate activists blocked a roundabout leading to the A14 motorway, and the chaotic protest was one of five taking place at border crossings in the region at the same time.
A police spokesman said: “In a very short time there was a major disruption to traffic on the motorway and brought all traffic in the area to a standstill.”
As a result, several angry drivers took matters into their own hands.
However, activists claimed they did not cause the traffic jam and said they were “shocked” by the reaction.
Extinction Rebellion activist Marina Hagen-Canaval said: “I’m shocked that people behave this way because of an expected traffic jam that we didn’t cause.”
The police eventually intervened and removed the protesters from the road, adding that they did not want to leave the scene voluntarily.
Authorities said they briefly detained a disruptive activist before deciding to let him go.
Hagen-Canaval said, “It’s not in our interest” to file a complaint against aggressive drivers.
However, as the police asked them to make their videos available, he added: “Of course we will comply with that request.”
Authorities are reportedly viewing the footage to decide whether they will take action against any of the angry road users.