<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/thousands-tractors-block-berlin-farmers-protest-fuel-subsidy-cuts>
"Thousands of tractors have brought Berlin’s city centre to a standstill as
farmers from across Germany protested on parliament’s doorstep over rising
costs and a plan to phase out agricultural fuel subsidies.
An estimated 30,000 protesters, including farmers supported by a wide range of
representatives from other industries from fishing to gastronomy to logistics,
blocked the streets around the government quarter on Monday with their
vehicles, including lorries and forklift trucks, and even children’s toy
tractors.
Joachim Rukwied, the president of the German farmers’ union, called on the
government to scrap its plans to phase out fuel subsidies, warning that many
farmers would be driven to bankruptcy by the decision.
“The government has the ability to change this,” he told thousands of
protesters gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, adding: “This much is too much.
Take back the proposals.” As soon as the government signalled it was prepared
to backtrack, Rukwied promised, “the tractors will be withdrawn”.
Christian Lindner, the finance minister and the main force behind the decision
to cut the fuel subsidy, was greeted with loud boos and whistles as he took to
the stage to address the rally.
“Your protest is legitimate and your protest is peaceful,” he told the
protesters, praising their “cohesion”. But his words were hardly heard above
the angry tumult.
He acknowledged that anger among farmers went beyond the diesel subsidy.
“Something has been brewing for decades,” he said. “We need to talk.” He added
that a “new phase” had arrived, “in which we need to speak afresh about what
the function of the state is”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
