2023-05-31 15:09:26
In the support initiative launched by Gerhard Ruiss from the IG authors and Rabenhof director Thomas Gratzer, it is pointed out that “all the characteristics of a SLAPP lawsuit” – i.e. an intimidation lawsuit – are present. “Regardless of how the court decides: The fact that this lawsuit was brought at all, although nobody suffered material or physical damage and the daily press immediately cleared up the deception, allows conclusions to be drawn regarding the FPÖ’s motive. Critical media, satire, art and culture are to be intimidated by firing all legal artillery from all barrels,” the statement said.
The letter is supported by the IG Kabarett, the press club Concordia and the Austrian PEN Club. Josef Hader, Ursula Strauss, Michael Niavarani, Jan Böhmermann, Marlene Streeruwitz, Thomas Stipsits, Stefanie Sargnagel, Herbert Föttinger, Marie Kreutzer, Maschek, Christoph Grissemann, Dirk Stermann, Ruth Brauer, Nicholas Ofczarek and Michael Ostrowski all showed their solidarity with the daily press , Caro Athanasiadis and Florian Scheuba explained.
The lawsuit for injunctive relief and publication of the judgment in the weekend editions of two Lower Austrian newspapers at the Vienna Commercial Court amounts to EUR 47,500. The FPÖ Lower Austria is taking action once morest the fake FPÖ letters that the daily press sent in April to around 500 restaurateurs in connection with the inn bonus announced by black and blue. It speaks of a newly created “Department for the Promotion of Patriotic Food Culture”. In addition to a “breading quota”, a “red-white-red children’s menu” was suggested as a criterion for assessing whether the business was suitable for the tavern premium, which featured an “Andreas Hofer schnitzel” or a “Gabalier meatball”. might.
“FPÖ wants to intimidate the entire industry”
In the APA interview, the founder of the daily press, Fritz Jergitsch, said that the FPÖ wanted to “intimidate the entire industry”. He sees the lawsuit as a kind of distinction, since satire’s job is to annoy the powerful and hold up a mirror to them, but it is by no means pleasant. “If the FPÖ got through this in court, it would be quite painful,” he says.
In the worst case, the satirist expects costs of around 70,000 euros. The interference with the right to a name is not disputed. The FPÖ Lower Austria also argues with credit damage and unfair competition to intimidate potential imitators. “That’s why it’s so important that the industry gives a sign of unity and shows that this way of taking action once morest criticism does not go unanswered,” says Jergitsch, happy regarding the solidarity action.
Scheuba sees the argumentation of the FPÖ Lower Austria, according to which there is unfair competition, as an indication that “the FPÖ may really be trying to compete with the daily press”. The thought that the FPÖ is serious regarding its complaint seems at least questionable to the cabaret artist. Because: “Should a court find that this text from the daily press is so close to reality that it might just as well have come from the FPÖ, then that would be a devastating realization for the FPÖ and the public.”
Scheuba considers it important not to be intimidated by such lawsuits. “The purpose of a SLAPP lawsuit is that something should disappear from the public eye. You have to do the opposite and look for the public,” says the cabaret artist. “Such lawsuits have no effect on us. We will continue to bring the things we stand by,” says Jergitsch. They are also sticking to the tavern bonus campaign. “The FPÖ’s aim with the award is to intervene in the menu design and thus in something that is characterized by cultural exchange. If an attempt is made to launch a tavern bonus with patriotic, nationalistic criteria, that should be criticized,” said the founder of the daily press.
FPÖ: “Hypocritic action of the left emporium”
The daily press still has regarding a week to answer the lawsuit. A trial date will then be set, provided the FPÖ does not withdraw the lawsuit. The support initiative is to be continued until the FPÖ refrains from filing the lawsuit.
“This is a hypocritical action by left-wing emporium,” a spokesman for the FPÖ in Lower Austria responded to the initiative on Wednesday at noe.ORF.at’s request. In any case, the FPÖ will stick to the lawsuit. It is regarding forgery, deception and forbidden name presumption. “This is far from satire,” it said in a statement.
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