Safety concerns
Greens cancel political Ash Wednesday in Biberach
Protests in the run-up to the Greens’ political Ash Wednesday in front of the town hall in Biberach. photo
© David Nau/dpa
Due to massive protests from farmers, among others, the Greens in Baden-Württemberg have canceled their political Ash Wednesday event. The reason: security concerns.
The Greens have made their event political Ash Wednesday canceled in Biberach, Baden-Württemberg. The chairman of the Biberach district association, Michael Gross, cited aggressive moods at demonstrations in the area as the reason.
In the run-up to the event there were massive protests and blockades by farmers, among others. According to its own information, the state farmers’ association in Baden-Württemberg did not call for the protests or support them in advance.
Farmers in Biberach had been protesting and blocking roads since the morning. Dozens of tractors were parked on the access roads to the town hall. A large pile of dung was dumped in front of the hall. Loud horns and music could be heard.
Police on duty
The protests also included an incident in which police used pepper spray on demonstrators to clear the path for two vehicles. The two vehicles then drove away from the town hall. A window on a vehicle was smashed. Protesters had previously blocked the street with paving stones and sandbags.
The board of the district farmers’ association, Karl Endriß, said that there was no way to get to the town hall because there were demonstrators everywhere around it. According to Endriß, various groups had called for the protests. The demonstrators are mainly farmers, but haulage companies are also involved.
The Greens have been meeting in Biberach for years, where a lot of federal celebrities were expected again this year. In addition to Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, who is considered a promising candidate to succeed Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann, Federal Chairwoman Ricarda Lang and veteran Jürgen Trittin should take the lectern. Kretschmann should also be there.