Authorities drop cases against women dressed as Schützen

Administrative penalty proceedings against seven women who dressed as Schützen participants at the Alpine Region Schützen meeting in Innsbruck in mid-May have been dropped, ORF reported.

The women said they were protesting the exclusion of women from the Schützen. Artist Ursula Beiler, who had previously attracted attention with her “Grüß Göttin” campaign, was among them.

After the event, the seven activists were reported to the authorities and each received a 100-euro penalty notice from the Innsbruck district authority.

Right to freedom of assembly

The women challenged the penalties and have now prevailed. Florian Greil, head of the criminal office at the Tyrol State Police Directorate, said the authorities’ decision centred on the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

Greil said it was also highly doubtful that the action had disrupted public order. The route was not changed and there was no delay, he said. Even without protection under the Assembly Act or the constitutional right to freedom of assembly, the proceedings would probably have been dropped after examining the alleged offence, Greil added.

The authorities said the action by the seven activists’ self-styled “Schützenkompanie International” was lawful because they had exercised a constitutionally guaranteed right. The decision stated that the women had marched along with the event rather than blocked it.