Hey people,
suddenly, after more than a year of proceedings, more than three months of pre-trial custody, observation for years, and whatever the state has to offer with regard to repression, the time has come: tomorrow the judgements in the case of the austrian §278a trial against animal rights activists will be pronounced. The procedure of taking evidence had already been finished on April, 1st – although numerous motions to take evidence had still been expected.
During the trial we could experience a lot of rather unbelievable stuff: absurd allegations by police and the public prosecutor’s office. A judge that was challenged on grounds of suspected bias and decided herself that she was not prejudiced. Really absurd witnesses (just thinking about the linguistic expert Schweiger). A quite flexible approach to law on the part of the investigating authority, that will perhaps never be worth to catch the attention of any prosecutor. And, of course, the discovery of undercover investigations in the circle of groups who promote animal protection and animal rights by the Ferderal Criminal Police Office. Tbc.
But it almost doesn‘t matter what will be the judgement in the end. The time that has been stolen from the accused, their fears and the (financial, psychological etc.) consequences that have been caused by the observations, all the other harassments and the trial – all this cannot be reembursed for the accused.
Repression is not an individual case but part of a system. It focuses on silencing the critical voices and locking them. It can affect anyone of us. (Antirep2008)
Let us not be intimidated! Let us continue to show solidarity! Let us be creative and let us be resistive! We will not be silenced, neither in Austria or anywhere else! We wish the accused and everyone who demonstrates in Vienna tomorrow, all the best!
At 8.30 in the morning there will be a demonstration in front of the Landgericht Wiener Neustadt. The trial starts at 9.00 am.
At 7.00 in the evening there will be a demonstration against state and judiciary at the Uni Rampe in Vienna: „After trial is before trial!“
All that happened before and the latest info can be read on Antirep2008.
