‘Revolution’: German farmers protest in Berlin
Major roads in Europe have been brought to a standstill as farmers on tractors flood cities, honking their horns at the government in protest.
Major roads in Germany have been brought to a standstill as farmers take to the streets on their tractors amid weeks of protest.
The German government has been battered by rallies involving thousands of the nation’s farmers after it announced it will no longer provide tax breaks for agricultural vehicles.
Major road blockages have stretched across cities including Hamburg, Cologne, Nuremberg and Munich in recent weeks, with up to 2000 tractors registered for each event.
Monday was expected to be the peak of the protests so far, a prediction that proved correct when between 3000 and 10,000 farmers braved the snow at dawn, lighting fires and sharing hot cups of coffee to keep warm as they protested in the capital.
Videos posted online under the hashtag Bauernaufstand, or “Peasants’ Revolt”, showed the dark skies of Berlin punctuated by a cacophony of tractors honking their horns into the night.
Self-described conservative commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek wrote: “Wow. It’s 5am and I just woke up to this sound from my hotel room in Berlin. That’s the sound of countless tractors honking.
“It’s going on non-stop. It sounds like the revolution has started … It’s intensifying by the minute. This is big.”
Other videos showed firefighters sounding their emergency sirens and bowing to the farmers in solidarity as they rode through the streets.
Yet another video showed streets around the iconic Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column in central Berlin at a standstill, filled with tractors involved in the protest.
🔥 German Farmers are on the move as they start rolling into the German capital of, Berlin. 🚜🦾🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/qjSMDRb4TT
— 🔥🇺🇸 KC 🇺🇸🔥 (@KCPayTreeIt) January 15, 2024
What are farmers protesting?
The protests come after the German government announced it would scrap tax subsidies for agricultural workers — including a subsidy for agricultural vehicles and one for diesel fuel — on January 11, in an attempt to fill a large hole in its 2024 budget at the request of a court.
The announcement sparked uproar when it was announced last year, with farmers dumping manure on the streets of Berlin in December.
The government quickly back-pedalled, agreeing not to scrap the tax rebate for vehicles and to spread the scrapping of the agricultural diesel subsidy over several years.
Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was a fair compromise.
“We’ve taken the farmers’ arguments to heart and revised our proposals. A good compromise,” he said on Saturday.
But farmers continued to protest on Monday, with some even calling for a change of government.
Martin, a farmer from the German island of Rügen who protested in Berlin, said “enough is enough”.
“I am here to protest for a new election in this country, because we are in difficulties with our government,” he told CNN.
“They don’t hear us, they make regulations that harm every one of us, not only the farmers but everyone in this country.”
‘Madness’: Concerns protests fuelling right-wing ideology
Several political commentators have shared concerns the farmers’ protest has been co-opted by right wing and far right groups, igniting fresh fears that political debate could become radicalised in Germany.
Right-wing party Alliance for Germany (AfD) shared messages of solidarity with the farmers, saying the protests will bring down the “traffic light” — a reference to Germany’s ruling coalition, the colours of which are red, yellow and green.
“Supporting democratic protests like this against traffic light madness will continue to be a concern of our hearts,” AfD posted to social media.
“We will stay with you on the road, so that a policy for tax breaks, for supporting our agriculture and for the interests of our own citizens is finally made. The traffic light will soon be standing all alone.”
Other images shared online showed members of extremist groups including The Homeland and Third Way attending rallies, per CNN.
Chancellor Mr Scholz thanked the head of the German Farmers’ Association, saying he had distanced himself from “extremists and some copycats who call for an ‘uprising’ and waffle about ‘overthrowing the system.’”
“If protests that are legitimate in themselves tip over into sweeping rage or contempt for democratic processes and institutions, then we all lose,” Mr Scholz said.
“Only those who despise our democracy will benefit.”
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