Berlin
Climate hunger strike: Participants in mortal danger, according to campaign
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz: “It is my greatest wish that the action is stopped.” Photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
An activist has not eaten anything for more than 80 days. His goal is for Chancellor Scholz to make a government statement on the dramatic nature of climate change. This does not seem to be achievable.
After 83 days of hunger strike for more climate protection, an activist is in acute danger of death, according to the campaign “Starve until you are honest”. The 49-year-old Wolfgang Metzeler-Kick is still responsive and oriented, but physically very weak, the campaign said. His volunteer team of doctors has given up responsibility for medical care. Nevertheless, he is determined to continue the hunger strike. The activists live in a camp at the Federal Ministry of Economics in Berlin.
Metzeler-Kick began his campaign on March 7th. At first he didn’t eat any solid food, but he still took juices, electrolytes and vitamins. Since May 24th he says he has stopped drinking juices in order to intensify the hunger strike. The campaign said this increases the risk of complications. According to the campaign, three other men are currently on hunger strike alongside Metzeler-Kick. Two other people have broken off the strike.
The climate activists say they want to persuade Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to make a government statement on the excessive concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the urgency of changing course. According to a government spokesman, Scholz does not want to comply with the demands. On Friday, Scholz himself said at a citizens’ dialogue: “It is my greatest wish that the action be called off.” It is a mistake “to exercise violence against others, but also violence against oneself.”