Press release from May 4, 2009

Linz. Since 1991, the KPÖ has been calling for a May Day demonstration in Linz on May 1st, which has been extremely peaceful and alternative in the past. On Friday morning, around 700 people took part in the demonstration and were unexpectedly targeted by the unprecedentedly excessive actions of the police

For FIFTITU% - Networking Center for Women in Art and Culture in Upper Austria, the violence practiced by the police is directly linked to the escalation of the demonstration. For FIFTITU%, the unprecedented severity in the form of repeated beatings and pepper spray attacks against demonstration participants are in no way related to the potential danger. It is only thanks to the mutual solidarity among the demonstrators themselves that the actions of the police could be sufficiently documented for the public.

FIFTITU% condemns this disproportionate police action in the strongest possible terms and calls for a full investigation into what happened. Such police violence must not be accepted uncritically, regardless of the demonstration organizer.

For further questions: Ursula Kolar-Hofstätter -- 0650 / 6768127
FIFTITU% - Networking Center for Women in Art and Culture in Upper Austria,
Harrachstrasse 28, 4020 Linz
0732/77 03 53