It was quite a "mixed crowd" that gathered in front of the Brandenburg Gate for the annual "We've Had Enough" demonstration:

On many homemade posters , capitalism, greed, and corporations were pilloried more clearly than ever before —and at the same time, the official large posters prominently displayed demands for a “socially just agricultural transition,” “agriculture based on solidarity,” or “Good food for all instead of profits for a few!” The main rally call even stated: “We are fighting for a socio-ecological transformation. It is the answer to the manifold crises.”

Many of the people we spoke with didn’t even notice this contradiction at first, because the demands “sound good at first glance, don’t they?” Yes—but unfortunately, they clash with capitalist reality: are we supposed to “transform” a global economy and agriculture—dominated with all their might by international corporations and major banks—into a social, ecological, and solidarity-based paradise through peaceful, friendly means and sound arguments? And all this at a time when all imperialist power blocs are, in the struggle over Ukraine, increasingly openly risking a nuclear war and a world war? That just doesn’t add up!

The tiny but ruling class—comprising 0.01% of the world’s population—will not abandon its profit-driven economy just because of a few large demonstrations or changes in government. On the contrary, we are currently witnessing just how quickly even the Greens—once considered “radical opposition”—are “transforming” themselves into champions of environmental catastrophe and warmongering.

At the Environmental Union’s information booth, we discussed that it will take a truly formidable force to put a stop to these destroyers of agriculture, environmental criminals, and warmongers. To achieve this, the labor movement and the environmental movement must come together in an organized, nonpartisan, and international manner; overcome mutual reservations; consciously join the New Peace Movement against the threat of world war; and engage in a dialogue about the path and goals toward a liberated society. The Environmental Union’s platform provides a suitable foundation for this. This met with great interest in all discussions.

Here are a few photos:

 

 

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Link to the group of sponsoring and supporting organizations, which currently includes over 100 organizations and initiatives:

(You can also find the official announcement there.) Click here!

 

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"The presentations were truly diverse—even musically!", "You could tell they were very knowledgeable; it was interesting to listen to!" "The tribunal format, with charges and a final verdict, was great!" —these and similar comments were made about the Berlin rally on World Climate Action Day, also known as International Environmental Action Day. As the local chapter of the Environmental Trade Union, we had organized the event and, as in the past two years, chose the square across from the VATTENFALL coal-fired power plant in Moabit—with one of the “main defendants,” so to speak, right before our eyes.

We were delighted by the active participation of several organizations from the Internationalist Alliance Berlin, all of which—despite the short notice—supported the idea of the tribunal and had prepared speeches and signs for the indictment. We sent our regards to our UG delegation in Paris, which took part in the environmental protest there. Of course, we’d like to see more visitors in the future than the 60 to 80 who attended, but there were quite a few new faces, and colleagues from industrial workplaces were also well represented. The previous promotional campaigns in the neighborhood and the impression they made on passersby have also left their mark, building on which we can continue our efforts.

Since we couldn’t make a large banner suitable for the tribunal on such short notice, we tried something new: We bought a sturdy 3m x 2m tarp with grommets from the hardware store (about €9), stretched it out, and spray-painted the “main charge” on it with white spray chalk right there in 5 minutes—great! See photo. As long as it doesn’t rain, this works perfectly and is highly recommended. Afterward, you can simply wash off the writing with water and reuse the tarp. (But be careful: you really have to spray it on-site, because the writing flakes off easily when you fold it up.)

 

Events for November 12, 2022: Environmental Action Day

Don't criminalize climate activists!

Berlin, November 2022

The tragic death of a cyclist in Berlin is being exploited as part of a smear campaign aimed at criminalizing climate activists—even though the emergency physician herself testified that the victim’s treatment was not hindered. The use of the special vehicle was only briefly considered, but then immediately ruled out. Newspapers such as the Berliner Zeitung and Bild are now reading into the police’s final report that the use of the special vehicle would nevertheless have been an option.

Not a word about the dangerous conditions for cyclists in Berlin—which have been the subject of criticism for years—despite the many fatalities.

Not a word about what Berlin’s severely congested traffic means for other emergency response operations, for exposure to fine particulate matter, for CO2 emissions, and for public health—to name just a few factors.

Blaming climate activists for the traffic chaos is absurd and far-fetched. This was an attempt to find a reason to criminalize the activists, and we firmly reject these brazen lies. This is part of a broader attempt to denigrate the environmental activists’ struggle as a whole and to turn public opinion against them.

We extend our deepest condolences to the cyclist's family and hope that the press will stop exploiting her death as well.

We stand in full solidarity with the climate activists in the face of this smear campaign.

We maintain our critical stance toward their actions, but we acknowledge their commitment to drawing attention to the urgency of the issue.

Especially since it is now unmistakably clear that we have nothing to expect from the World Climate Conference in Egypt except decisions that dramatically jeopardize the chances of survival for people on Earth.

 

 

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