It is “not always more effective if you hit it harder”: The climate protection activist Neubauer has criticized the forms of protest of the “last generation”. She urged the initiative to act more strategically.
The climate protection activist Luisa Neubauer has criticized the nature of the actions of the “last generation”. “Political change does not come categorically faster by resorting to more radical measures,” Neubauer told the news portal “watson”. Rather, it is important to act strategically.
“It’s not always more effective if you hit it harder,” said the 27-year-old Fridays for Future activist. “It can also be more effective when something comes very quietly and unexpectedly from unexpected corners.”
misunderstanding about accelerating change
She understands that people are angry if they think the federal government is doing too little to protect the climate, said Neubauer. “And I find it very worrying that young and old people are so desperate that they don’t know what to do other than glue themselves to the streets.”
But she believes “there is a misunderstanding about how change happens and how to accelerate it”. If, for example, you advocate a speed limit, it is more effective “to find a round of FDP voters who can be convinced and stand up for it than another road blockade”.
There are “moments when disruptive disobedience can be totally effective,” Neubauer was convinced. “But so far we have no reason to assume that it is categorically more effective,” she added. “And we have to keep in mind that certain actions can, in the worst case, also deter people and political decision-makers.”