The city of Munich has issued a ban on the transport of superglue against seven climate activists. A breach of this costs 1000 euros. Sounds weird? Is officially ordered and easy to explain: All those involved in this process – activists, district administration department (KVR) and police – are pursuing a major goal, the protection of the climate. The first group thinks of sea levels and heat waves, the other two think of the street climate. This is how protection interests collide when someone sticks to the street and creates a traffic jam.
In the green-led KVR, orders were issued against activists on the basis of the state criminal law and ordinance law. You are prohibited from carrying, transporting and using superglue and similar substances. More details are regulated in the notifications from Hanna Sammüller-Gradl’s house. One went to Wolfgang Metzeler-Kick, engineer for technical environmental protection from Regensburg, it consists of 13 pages and ends with the signature of an administrative officer.
The KVR emphasizes that the order is only valid for a limited period, that the 1000 euros are not a penalty, but just a fine. The preventive measure is intended to prevent criminal offenses caused by climate stickers and also dangers for bystanders, “particularly by disrupting road traffic”. In the KVR, the ban on the transport of superglue makes sense because it is aimed precisely at the well-known activists, does not restrict their freedom of expression and assembly, and thus creates a balance between activists and urban society.
And the practice? The police who made the suggestions as to who the KVR should consider with the order is responsible. Does every patrolman get a list of names with photos to search a potential superglue transport ban violator for cloth if they happen by? No, says a spokesman, the ban only applies to campaigns. Exactly twice so far.
For example with Wolfgang Metzeler-Kick, 48. He has publicly announced that he will violate the ban and would rather talk about the current climate report because it sums up the disaster. But okay, let’s get to the superglue, now that he’s sitting at Radio Lora with a tube in his hand, he says. He transported them there and will also transport them away, in other words a violation of the decision that the KVR faxed to his lawyer on February 27, valid for three months. It lists ten street blockades in which the activist took part as a reason.
For a fee of 150 euros, Metzeler-Kick was also informed of possible exceptions to the order. At least six hours before the desired sticker transport, this must be “notified” to the police. Is there a form for this? No, there is “no formalized workflow,” explains the spokesman: just go to an inspection. The exception is only possible for professional reasons. Aren’t climate stickers professional activists? “Good question,” says the police spokesman.