Road rage! Fed up drivers drive over eco-protesters, drag them off the streets and leave them on the ground crying as they try to block traffic in Austria

Shocking footage showed angry motorists driving over eco-protesters, dragging them off the streets and leaving them crying as they tried to block traffic in Austria.

The May 18 demonstration was carried out by members of Extinction Rebellion and the Last Generation in Hohenems, close to the border with Switzerland.

Seven climate activists blocked a roundabout leading to the A14 highway, and the chaotic protest was one of five that took place simultaneously at border crossings in the region.

Footage from one protester shows several irate drivers appearing to assault them, dragging them off the road by the collar of their shirts and then dumping them on the side of the street.

In one clip, a female protester wearing an orange hi-vis jacket and waving a yellow banner was picked up and thrown to the pavement before the enraged motorist angrily raised his arms and shouted at the protester.

Climate activists in Austria demonstrating on May 18 were thrown to the side of the street by angry motorists after they tried to block traffic

In a shocking video, a male eco-protester was knocked to the ground by a moving vehicle

Members of Extinction Rebellion and the Last Generation taped themselves to a roundabout in Hohenems, close to the border with Switzerland

Another shot shows a group of at least four activists sitting and lying in the middle of the road as cars behind them were forced to stop.

Two drivers then grab an arm of a protester lying on the ground and drag them away in an attempt to clear the road.

An elderly man wearing a yellow hi-vis was filmed in shocking scenes as he was hit by a moving vehicle as his legs buckled from the force.

The driver of the vehicle then exits the car before wrapping his arms around the man and pulling him off the road.

Another clip shows an eco-protester thrashing around while being carried across a zebra crossing by two men after trying to disrupt the flow of traffic on the busy road.

Activists were seen wailing on the sides of the road after being thrown and pushed to the ground by moving vehicles.

In another clip from the protest, a man wearing a black cap and orange hi-vis was seen flying backwards through the air after being hit by a white car.

After the car hit his shins, the man was thrown backwards and left on the road in front of the car.

According to local police, three activists suffered abrasions and minor injuries in the incident.

Activists were thrown across the street by angry motorists and left on the side of the road as motorists tried to clear the lane

According to local police, three activists suffered abrasions and minor injuries in the incident

Motorists took matters into their own hands as they battled protesters on Austrian roads

Seven climate activists blocked a roundabout leading to the A14 highway, and the chaotic protest was one of five that took place simultaneously at border crossings in the region

A police spokesman said: ‘Within a very short time there was a huge traffic disruption on the motorway, bringing all traffic in the area to a standstill.’

As a result, several angry motorists took matters into their own hands.

However, activists claimed they did not cause the traffic jam and said they were “shocked” by the response.

Extinction Rebellion activist Marina Hagen-Canaval said: ‘It shocks me that people are behaving this way because of an expected traffic jam that we did not cause.’

Police eventually intervened and moved the protesters off the road, adding that they did not want to leave the scene voluntarily.

Authorities said they briefly detained a disruptive activist before deciding to let him go.

Hagen-Canaval said, “It is not in our interest” to file a complaint against the aggressive drivers.

However, since police have asked them to make their videos available to them, she added, “Of course we will comply with that request.”

Authorities are reportedly reviewing the footage to decide whether to take action against the angry road users.