2024-01-11 05:20:00
Protests in Berlin and Brandenburg – Live blog: Chancellor’s visit and large demonstration expected in Cottbus
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Video: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell| 01/10/2024 | Carsten Krippahl | Image: dpa/Pleul
First day of strike GDL – Economist expects more labor disputes +++ Analysis: AfD uses farmers’ protest +++ Chancellor wants to visit Cottbus on Thursday +++ All developments in the live ticker
6:00 a.m.: Farmers’ protests continue in Prignitz
The protests by farmers, craftsmen and freight forwarders continue on Thursday in the northwest, especially in Prignitz. The intersection of the B189/B195 in Wittenberge has been blocked since Thursday morning, a spokeswoman for the Prignitz police station said. The roundregarding on the L11 in Weisen, the star in Breese and the L10 near Bad Wilsnack are also blocked. There will be a citizens’ dialogue by the Länder – an association of rural women – at the Great Market in Perleberg from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In the followingnoon, farmers in Pritzwalk want to speak with Brandenburg’s Agriculture Minister Axel Vogel. He is expected there for the PR job fair. The farmers there want to provide information regarding the current situation in agriculture and talk to the minister, Andreas Kiekback, chairman of the Prignitz district farmers’ association, told rbb in advance.
Because of the protests, there are also restrictions on Prignitz bus services, including between Wittenberge and Bad Wilsnack and from Schilde via Weisen to Breese.
9:50 p.m.: GDL strike first day – economist predicts more labor disputes
There will be increasing industrial disputes in Germany. The President of the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin, Marcel Fratzscher, said this on Wednesday evening in the rbb24 Abendschau.
On the one hand, this is due to high inflation, but on the other hand, it is also related to the problem of skilled workers. Companies would have to offer more flexible working time models. Some would want to work more and others less, said Fratzscher.
The economist was referring to the demand of the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) for a 35-hour week with full wage compensation. He does not consider such blanket demands to be convincing.
The GDL union has been on strike in freight transport since Tuesday evening at 10 p.m. and in passenger transport since Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. The strike affects train and S-Bahn traffic in Berlin and Brandenburg and is expected to last until Friday at 6 p.m.
9:00 p.m.: Analysis – AfD uses farmers’ anger to advance in the East German provinces
The farmers’ protests have adopted “The traffic light must go” as their central motto, writes rbb extremism expert Olaf Sundermeyer in his analysis. Since this week, the slogan can be read everywhere in their campaigns. This is not anti-state, but a fundamental, legitimate government protest in a rustic peasant way.
But the AfD and its right-wing extremist allies have long been traveling in the wind of the tractors, said Sundermeyer. The party is taking advantage of the protests in the particularly important election year of 2024 and has been preparing for weeks.
8:46 p.m. Chancellor wants to meet farmers’ representatives on Thursday
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to speak to representatives of the state farmers’ association in Cottbus on Thursday on the sidelines of the opening of a new railway depot for ICE 4 trains.
The Chancellor wants to once once more explain the government’s position on the planned dismantling of tax breaks on agricultural diesel. Thousands of farmers want to demonstrate once morest this in Cottbus on Thursday.
The farmers want to arrive in a parade with 500 vehicles, as a spokeswoman for the Brandenburg State Farmers’ Association said. A total of several thousand participants are expected.
Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke and Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (both SPD) will also take part in the opening ceremony of Hall 2 of the new railway plant (10 a.m.).
8:43 p.m.: Farmers President Wendorff: Tone can become rougher
Brandenburg’s farmers’ president Henrik Wendorff called for more stability in rural areas on the sidelines of the New Year’s reception from the Uckermark district farmers’ association.
The tone of the current farmers’ protests might become harsher if politicians do not provide answers, Wendorff told rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell on Wednesday. Protests from farmers, craftsmen and freight forwarders are also expected in Cottbus on Thursday at the official opening of the new railway plant.
CDU Uckermark district administrator Karina Dörk sees the farmers’ protest as justified. There has not yet been an adequate response. She would have liked the government to pause once more and reduce the burden. It’s not just regarding the farmers.
4:45 p.m.: Hardly any more blockages on highways
Farmers and supporters had temporarily blocked more than 70 highway entrances and exits since Wednesday morning. There were also vehicle parades of farmers in several cities, including in Strausberg and Wriezen (Märkisch-Oderland).
Most of the blockades have now ended. According to the police, drivers can only still feel the protests in the Uckermark. Actions are planned on the A11 and A20 until 6 p.m.
Two people were slightly injured during the protests, as the spokesman for the East Police Department, Roland Kamenz, told the rbb studio Frankfurt (Oder). Accordingly, there were incidents in Finsterwalde and Finowfurt when blockades were broken.
3:57 p.m.: Farmers want to demonstrate on Thursday during Scholz’s visit to Cottbus
As part of the farmers’ protest week, several thousand people want to demonstrate in Cottbus on Thursday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is expected there that day to open the new railway plant. The Chancellor has already agreed to meet with the Brandenburg State Farmers’ President Henrik Wendorff on the sidelines of the appointment, as government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced.
The farmers would arrive in a parade with 500 vehicles, said the spokeswoman for the Brandenburg State Farmers’ Association, Meike Mieke, on Wednesday. According to Mieke, several thousand participants are expected in total. Since there is only room for around 100 tractors and other vehicles in the forecourt of the railway depot, traffic will also build up on the adjacent streets.
3:32 p.m.: Berlin lifts the driving ban for trucks on Sunday
The Transport Senate has lifted the truck driving ban in Berlin for Sunday, January 14th. For this purpose, the transport administration has issued a corresponding exception regulation as a general order. The reason is the restrictions caused by the farmers’ protests.
This is intended to ensure efficient supply chains, for example for the food retail sector, according to the transport administration in a press release.
A “comparable exception” has also been made for Brandenburg, the transport administration continued. If those affected plan to travel to other federal states, they would have to obtain an exemption there.
1:07 p.m.: More passengers at BVG
Because of the rail strike, the BVG is seeing greater demand in rush hour traffic. “In particular, those BVG lines that run parallel to the striking S-Bahn connections were used by many additional passengers,” said the Berlin public transport company. As a rule, the vehicle capacities would have been sufficient. “However, some passengers had to wait for the next trip.”
Blocked roads and empty train stations: GDL strike and farmers’ protests in pictures
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Picture: Imago Images/Achille Abboud
Protesting farmers, craftsmen and freight forwarders are holding out at around minus eight degrees at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
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Image: rbb
According to Brandenburg police, drivers tried to break through the farmers’ blockades on several driveways in the morning or squeeze past parked tractors.
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Image: rbb
At the Berlin bus station on Wednesday morning, travelers wait for a bus ride while the train drivers’ union (GDL) is on strike.
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Image: dpa/AP/Markus Schreiber
Meanwhile, the platforms at Berlin Central Station are empty.
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Image: dpa
This morning at 8 a.m., Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman Anja Bröcker made a statement regarding the strike at Berlin Central Station.
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Image: rbb
Farmers, hauliers and tradesmen have been blocking several motorway entrances in Brandenburg since early this morning. Here is the Cottbus-West exit for the A15.
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Image: rbb
And the Fürstenwalde Ost motorway exit of the A12 is also blocked. The Berlin ring of the A10 is also affected.
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Image: rbb
In Eberswalde, due to the strike by the GDL train drivers’ union and its members, the RB24 regional train is scheduled to be canceled at 7:30 a.m., while the RE3 regional train runs every hour to Berlin-Gesundbrunnen – not to Wittenberg as usual.
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Image: Picture Alliance/Joerg Carstensen
Berlin Central Station was empty in the early morning of January 10, 2024.
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Image: Picture Alliance/Fotostand/Reuhl
A train from the ODEG, which is not on strike by the GDL, is traveling towards Frankfurt/Oder on January 10th, 2024.
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Image: Picture Alliance/Joerg Carstensen
Since 2 a.m. there has been almost nothing on the rails, as a train passenger experienced here at Berlin Central Station. The strike by the train drivers’ union GDL and its members for passenger transport has started.
More picture galleries
Broadcast: Fritz, January 10, 2024, 6:30 a.m
11:59 a.m.: Cars are trying to break through blockades in some places
On several driveways, drivers tried to break through the farmers’ blockades or squeeze past parked tractors. The Brandenburg police confirmed this to rbb. Accordingly, there were three breakthrough attempts. A van with a trailer was stopped on the A11 near Wandlitz and the driver was wanted by the police. About six more cars passed a blockade on the A11 Bernau Süd exit, strikers report to rbb. During a maneuver on the A12 near Fürstenwalde, a person was hit by a car while trying to avoid the blockade.
11:23 a.m.: Blockades might end earlier
Farmers might end their blockades on Wednesday earlier than announced. “We are currently voting on whether we can reopen the motorways at midday,” said Peter Schollbach. He is the state chairman of the LSV (Land creates connection) association, which is organizing the protest. “We want to send an example to politicians, but we don’t want to fight once morest the population.”
11:10 a.m.: Train delays and protests in the Uckermark
In Angermünde (Uckermark) trains only run very late. Those waiting showed little understanding for the GDL’s strike measures.
According to an rbb reporter, numerous vehicles gathered around Schwedt for further blockades. However, these are not farmers, but rather freight forwarders and craftsmen. They had joined the farmers’ protests.
10:30 a.m.: Gelbhaar (Greens) calls Bahn and GDL to the negotiating table
“The right to strike is a valuable asset,” warns Stefan Gelbhaar, transport policy spokesman for the Greens in the Bundestag and supervisory board of Deutsche Bahn on Wednesday morning on rbb24 Inforadio. It is not good that the train as a reliable means of transport is being called into question by the strikes. “We will not find a solution through the strike alone,” said Gelbhaar.
Although he understands the demand for a 35-hour week, there is a lack of staff for this. He calls on the railways and the GDL to talk: “You can’t work this out together in a strike, you can do it at the negotiating table.” Even if there were changes now, they would only be felt in a year or two.
10:13 a.m.: Protests might continue
Farmers President Joachim Rukwied threatened prolonged protests on Wednesday morning. We reserve the right to take further steps if there is no reversal of the subsidy cuts, he told ZDF.
Image: rbb 9:57 a.m.: Pro Bahn passenger association: “Passengers are fed up”
The Pro Bahn passenger association criticizes the rail strikes. Board member Thomas Schirmer called on both the railway and the train drivers’ union GDL to quickly come back to the negotiating table. He said on radioeins that the passengers were tired of suffering from the disputes once more and once more.
GDL chairman Claus Weselsky blames the railway for the strike. The company has been suffering from a staff shortage for years. You would only get new staff with good offers.
9:17 a.m.: Medical staff and Flixbus should not be blocked
The farmers want to open their highway blockades for nursing and rescue workers as well as medical staff. Farmer Andreas Götze told rbb. There should also be exceptions to the blockades for Flixbuses. Many rail passengers switched to the long-distance bus provider due to the simultaneous strike by train drivers.
Image: rbb 8:44 a.m.: According to observations, BVG trains are not fuller than usual
rbb reporters report that, according to their observations, subways are no more crowded than usual. In addition, a lot of service staff are on duty to inform travelers.
Regional train lines 1 and 3 ran regularly on Wednesday morning. The RE3 ended in Gesundbrunnen and not in Wittenberg as usual. The RB24, however, failed at Eberswalde station. Trains in the direction of Wriezen, Frakfurt/Oder and Joachimsthal are served by the Niederbarnim Railway.
Image: rbb 8:34 a.m.: Blockades on A9, A10, A13, A15, A24
Blockades are also reported on the A9 near Brück and Niemegk, the A13 near Bestensee, the A15 near Vetschau and the A24 near Kremmen and Pritzwalk. Driveways along the A10 and the Berliner Ring, such as Oberkrämer and Marzahn, are also affected. The police confirmed to rbb that the Brieselang and Falkensee ramps (both Havelland) on the western Berlin Ring are blocked by tractors.
According to rbb reporters, there are no traffic jams on the highways, as only driveways are currently blocked by the protest.
8:17 a.m.: All exits on the A12 are closed
The A12 has been blocked by tractors since 5:30 a.m. This is what rbb employees report. Accordingly, all eight entrances to the motorway were closed until 7:30 a.m. and are now blocked. In many places, the farmers’ protest was not scheduled to begin until 9 a.m. Some had already been registered with the police for the early hours of the morning.
8:05 a.m.: Police expect a blockade of the Berliner Ring
According to the farmers’ association, the farmers’ protest affects 72 driveways on motorways in Brandenburg. Board member Roland Straßberger said two tractors each should block the access roads. It was said that the Berliner Ring should not actually be affected by the campaign. However, the police expect that driveways might also be blocked there.
In Berlin, a vigil by farmers has been registered on the Straße des 17. Juni in Tiergarten until Monday. According to police reports, 25 demonstrators spent the night there.
6:47 a.m.: Brandenburg suspends compulsory attendance for students
The compulsory attendance in Brandenburg schools has been partially lifted. Students are allowed to stay away from class if they rely on public transport and have no way to get to school. You will then receive learning tasks to do at home and will be considered excused if the school has been informed in advance. Schools can also offer distance learning. However, teachers and educational staff must appear.
6:32 a.m.: Farmers block highway entrances from 9 a.m
Farmers, freight forwarders and tradesmen want to block almost all motorway entrances in Brandenburg for several hours from 9 a.m. According to the farmers’ association “Land creates connection” (LSV), the action is planned until 3 p.m. As board member Roland Straßberger told rbb on Tuesday, there are more than 70 driveways. They should be blocked with two tractors each. The Berliner Ring is initially excluded. Tradesmen and hauliers have joined the strike. Other organizations had already registered activities for the early morning before 9 a.m.
05:50 a.m. Train driver on strike since 2 a.m
The strike by the train drivers’ union GDL and its members for passenger transport has been underway since 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning. There has been a strike in freight transport since Tuesday evening. In addition to long-distance traffic, Deutsche Bahn regional trains and the S-Bahn are affected. This means that a severely restricted emergency timetable applies to passenger and freight transport, the railway said. The strike is scheduled to last until Friday evening at 6 p.m. The Berlin S-Bahn offers train service every 20 minutes on lines S3, S46, S5, and S9. There is also scheduled replacement bus service on lines S1, S2, S25 and S26. An emergency timetable also applies to the regional train routes in the region. The BVG, Odeg, Neb and Hanseatic Railway are not on strike, but there might be restrictions there too.
You can read all of Tuesday’s developments here.
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell, January 10, 2024, 7:30 p.m
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