Rally, blockades and bonfires: Farmers are demonstrating against the removal of subsidies for the fourth day in a row. Actions are planned in many federal states – an overview.
The farmers’ protests continue today. Since Monday, farmers have been resisting the abolition of planned subsidies from the federal government.
In cottbus Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was greeted with loud protests by demonstrating farmers at the opening of a new factory for ICE trains. The police led a convoy of tractors past the plant. The railway station hall was cordoned off and the farmers couldn’t get there with their tractors.
Actions are planned in several federal states. An overview:
Baden-Württemberg
In Baden-Württemberg, the Heilbronn-Ludwigsburg farmers’ association is planning to take part in a rally in the Karlsruhe area today. That’s what he reports SWR. This is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. in Sinsheim (Rhein-Neckar district) in front of the PreZero Arena. Up to 1,800 participants with tractors are expected. Therefore, there may be traffic disruptions in advance due to arriving farmers.
According to the state farmers’ association, some memorial fires are planned in the Reutlingen district. These are scheduled to take place in the early evening on the country and federal roads in Eningen unter Achalm, in Sonnenbühl, St. Johann, Hohenstein, Trochtelfingen, Gomadingen-Steingebronn and Böhringen.
Today is the central protest day in the Göppingen district. On the one hand, memorial fires are planned in Mühlhausen im Täle and Bartenbach in the afternoon. On the other hand, there will be a rally to Heidenheim. The Göppingen and Ostalb-Heidenheim district farmers’ associations suspect that hundreds of farmers will take part with their tractors, like the one SWR reported.
Brandenburg
In Brandenburg, farmers demonstrated again in several places this morning RBB reported. After extensive blockades on Wednesday, there were initially no known protests on motorway entrances, as the police announced in the morning.
In Wittenberge, farmers blocked the intersection of federal highways 195 and 189 with around 20 vehicles. A roundabout near Weisen was occupied by seven vehicles, including a tractor. Two meetings have been registered in the Elbe-Elster district.
According to the police, a focal point in Brandenburg is Wilhelm-Külz-Straße in Cottbus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) opened the new railway plant there in the morning.
Hamburg
Hundreds of farmers from Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony were on their way to the port of Hamburg in their tractors in the morning, reports NDR. The police warn of “significant traffic disruptions” throughout the city and especially in the port of Hamburg.
According to the police, three convoys from Wedel, Ahrensburg and Stade have registered. The organizers are expecting up to 750 agricultural machines.
Hesse
The city of Frankfurt expects the streets to be full: According to the MR 1,500 tractors from protesting farmers are expected for a rally and demonstration. The first participants gathered in Butzbach early in the morning. Because of the farmers’ protests against the federal government’s austerity plans, the Frankfurt public order office is expecting traffic chaos in the city.
At 8:30 a.m. the tractor column set off for Frankfurt. Your destination is the square in front of the festival hall at the Ludwig Erhard facility, where a rally has been registered for 1 p.m. Their route takes the farmers mainly along country roads, in the urban area through Bergen-Enkheim and along Friedberger Landstrasse.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, people in Schwerin have to prepare for traffic delays on the motorways again today. That’s what he reports NDR and refers to information from the Ministry of the Interior. The LSV (“Land creates connection”) association announced yesterday that it would demonstrate from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the area of around 30 entrances to motorways 11, 14, 24, 19 and 20.
Loud NDR In the morning, however, blockages started much earlier on some of the driveways, such as the one to the A14 in Schwerin-Ost or the A24 in Wöbbelin. In addition, driveways that were supposed to remain free were closed. A spokeswoman said the police were investigating violations of the Assembly Act in this context. Drivers must prepare for extensive disruption. Exits and motorway junctions are not affected.
The police control center also says that there are always isolated, unannounced blockades throughout the country – even off the highways, such as in the Rostock overseas port. So far, these have been dissolved when police officers have spoken to those involved on site.
Lower Saxony
In Lower Saxony, farmers from all over the state want to drive their tractors to Hanover today and protest in front of the state parliament in the morning. Again NDR reported that some convoys started early in the morning. The Hanover Police Department expects “some significant restrictions” throughout the city center.
In Westerstede in Ammerland, around 60 farmers have blocked the access roads to the A28. In Papenburg (Emsland district), tractors are blocking the access to the Meyer shipyard. Around 20 tractors are also causing traffic problems near Hemmoor (Cuxhaven district).
North Rhine-Westphalia
In North Rhine-Westphalia there will be one of the largest demonstrations in Münster in the afternoon, reports WDR. The police there are again warning of traffic disruptions from 3:30 p.m. A private individual has registered a rally with up to 2,000 tractors. The target of the protest is the district association of the Greens, which invited people to the New Year’s reception in the castle early in the evening.
Tractors have been blocking access to the A560 near Hennef and Sankt Augustin since the morning.
Saxony
Farmers in Saxony have also continued their protests against the federal government’s austerity measures. Again MDR Reportedly, exits on the A4 in the Bautzen and Görlitz area and in the Erzgebirge on the A72 are blocked. Around 300 tractors are on the road across the country, said Robert Erdmann from the “Land Creates Connection” association this morning MDR.
According to police information, there are, among other things, short-term closures on the A4 at the Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Weißenberg, Görlitz and Kodersdorf entrances and on the A72 at the Hartenstein and Chemnitz-Röhrsdorf entrances. Spontaneous rallies are also planned.
Saxony-Anhalt
In Saxony-Anhalt, according to the state farmers’ association, mainly star and slow trips are planned in the individual districts, reports MDR. Those affected include Stendal, Dessau and Naumburg.
Schleswig-Holstein
In Schleswig-Holstein there was a relay trip by farmers to Lübeck on Wednesday. In the evening, the police spoke of up to 1,600 tractors taking part. According to a city spokesman, around 2,000 tractors and other vehicles were on the road in Flensburg on Wednesday as part of the farmers’ protest.
Again NDR reported, there will be a demonstration to Kiel on Friday from the districts of Plön, Rendsburg-Eckernförde and Lübeck. The organizers are planning a rally on the parade ground.
Thuringia
Drivers in Thuringia have to prepare for traffic restrictions, reports the MDR. The background is protests from freight forwarders and farmers. A demonstration train with 140 trucks leads from Erfurt to Jena. There are also expected to be further local protests.
At the start of the farmers’ protest week on Monday, there were sometimes significant traffic problems nationwide due to blockades and parades. There were also many activities on Tuesday. For the third day in a row, farmers blocked roads nationwide with their tractors on Wednesday.