Austria: LRCI activist fined again for anti-government action
Workers' Power Global, Vienna

Axel Magnus, well-known activist of the movement against the black and blue government in Austria and a member of ArbeiterInnenstandpunkt (ASt) - Austrian section of the League for a Revolutionary Communist International (LRCI) - was again fined by the Austrian authorities for "organising a demonstration without notification in advance to the police". This latest administrative punishment is one of a whole series of accusations against him and two other activists of the Austrian radical left.

Axel has had two cases against him because of the weekly Thursday demonstrations in July 2000. The first case was won at the highest stage of administrative authorities ("Independent Administrative Senate") as was the case of an activist of the Austrian CWI section.

Although it was the same authority and practically the same circumstances, Axel and another activist of the CWI have now been fined for another demonstration. The only possibility now is to go to the Highest Administrative Court, but this is not only very expensive but also very dangerous. If the sentence were not reversed, which is very likely because the court is dominated by judges nominated by the right-wing parties, it would then establish a legal precedent, without further appeal. This would mean that, in future, anyone could be fined by the police just for participating in a demonstration that had not been notified in advance.

It is clear that this is not really a question of administration. It is a question of whether or not the bourgeois state is able to shut up well known activists of the Austrian radical left by administrative punishment. For two years they have been unable to stop the weekly demonstrations through police action, hostile media reports or "public opinion".

So now they are trying to stop them by criminalising some of the best-known activists. Axel, for example, was punished some months ago for the occupation of Viennaâs Hotel Mariott where the Thursday demonstration stopped a meeting of bosses and politicians sponsored by the Austrian National Bank.

Axel and ArbeiterInnenstandpunkt will certainly continue their fight - against this kind of political justice and against the racism and welfare cuts of the right-wing government. If the fight against the fine will be won in the courts or only by political means is not yet decided. It is a financial question (donations welcomed!) but we have also to consider carefully whether we should take the high risk of creating a precedent.

In any event, we will continue our fight against this government by any means necessary. Fines and the struggle against them are only one part of a struggle with many different aspects, methods and means. We will only finally secure our victory against them if we get rid of their roots - the capitalist system!

For more information contact: arbeiterInnenstandpunkt@gmx.at
or call: +43-699-14037707