The climate camp in Augsburg can continue to exist: This judgment of the Bavarian Administrative Court was already made at the beginning of March, after the judgment was justified, the city of Augsburg has now confirmed that it does not want to appeal.
However, the dispute has not been settled: In a statement, Mayor Eva Weber (CSU) accuses the demonstrators of not being interested in the democratic process and not taking into account the reality of life for most Augsburgers.
“That reveals Weber to be a bad loser,” the climate campers reply – and declare that they will have the city’s threatened stricter conditions checked by a court if they feel this restricts their freedom of assembly.
The climate camp has existed for almost two years, the mostly young activists are demonstrating for more climate justice. This is not without controversy in Augsburg, especially for a part of the local CSU, the permanent form of the protest and the appearance of the camp with tents and posters in a prominent place in the city center goes too far.
The city administration tried to clear the camp in the summer of 2020, arguing, among other things, that the protest form lacked an assembly character. In the justification for the judgment, the Federal Court of Justice issued the unflattering testimony to the city lawyers that their corresponding decision at the time was “massively deficient”.
However, the judges did not want to make a fundamental judgment on the legality of protest camps, but only shed light on the early days of the camp, which the city of Augsburg expressly regrets. Other cities, such as Nuremberg, where there are climate camps, also observed the process with interest. In the city’s opinion, however, there is no doubt after the verdict that even a new eviction notice would not stand up in court – in this respect, the administration is not seeking an appeal.
Mayor Weber, however, rhetorically attacks the activists. The topic of climate protection has a “prominent place” in the black-green coalition agreement. However, it is her job as mayor to “design acceptable solutions for everyone in Augsburg”.
However, reconciliation of interests and compromise are apparently not strengths of the climate campers. The activists should stop acting according to the motto: “We’ll stay here until you do what we want. That’s not how our democracy works.” Instead, the climate campers should work in committees, recognize limited municipal responsibilities and leave “their comfort zone”.
“Let’s do everything,” the activists reply. “We’re going to be surprised at what’s to come,” says spokesman Ingo Blechschmidt, referring above all to the stricter conditions that the court also brought into play. If the city wants to move the climate camp to a less prominent place with few passers-by, Blechschmidt announces resistance. “Reasonable fire protection requirements would not be a problem. But if they want to put us in a place that is not open to the public, we will sue immediately.”