Thousands block Austria's Brenner Autobahn in protest over truck traffic

Around 3,000 local residents closed the Brenner Autobahn on Saturday, a key north‑south Alpine corridor that links Germany with Italy. The blockade was organised by Karl Mühlsteiger, mayor of Gries am Brenner, to protest the constant flow of heavy trucks and tourists that they say congest the Wipp valley and cause noise and pollution. Austrian Tyrol authorities had previously introduced measures to curb traffic, which have often sparked tension with Germany.

Police shut both ends of the motorway, and the protest lasted about eight hours. Most drivers obeyed diversion advice, so the closure caused limited disruption, though some motorists were forced to turn back and trains on the parallel line reported crowded conditions. A nearby railway line between Peri and Dolçe in Italy suffered a suspected sabotage of electric control equipment, which investigators are examining for possible links to radical environmental or anarchist groups.