The corona crisis has displaced the climate crisis.
The pandemic has also acted as a brake on the student demos of “Fridays for Future”.
But the climate activists are continuing their protests - albeit by other means.
Erding / Freising
- A small group of schoolchildren paints a sentence on the red pavement in front of the Erdingen town hall. “No more empty promises” is written on the floor in bright green capital letters, in German: no more empty promises. Jana Schröder, 18, is one of the members of the Erdinger local group of “Fridays for Future”, which took to the streets on this cold day in March in the drifting snow for the climate. “That was our last major action so far,” she says.
Before the corona pandemic, the student demos from “Fridays for Future” drew masses of children and young people onto the streets, some of them also their parents and grandparents.
And now: no sea of banners, no loudspeakers, no crowds.
The coronavirus has slowed down the movement.
"That is of course demotivating," says Jana Schröder.
Nevertheless, you and your colleagues are behind the corona measures.
“We only do small actions, we are careful.
The pandemic is also a crisis - we want it to be seen that way. "Even with small actions, interest is still there, she says.
They also came to talk to some passers-by in front of the Erdingen town hall.
"But on a much smaller scale and at a distance."
"Fridays for Future": Corona has displaced the climate crisis
Ernst Hörmann is annoyed that there is only talk of Corona. "What we expect our children and grandchildren to do, what we expect other countries to do - if that tips, there's no going back," he says. The 71-year-old Freisinger joined the students' concerns at an early stage. About two years ago he initiated the monthly vigil in his hometown. He is a consistent climate protector: Hörmann does not have a car and makes all trips by bike or train. He has just returned from a visit to his grandchildren in Regensburg, the return trip by bike took seven hours alone.
It is also the generation of his grandchildren that spurs him on to continue - although his vigils can no longer take place due to the pandemic.
“The last time we hung up a banner on the Korbinians Bridge on the global strike day with Fridays,” he says.
His one-man vigil quickly turned into a group of 200 supporters.
"We're still 50 now, that's certainly also due to Corona."
No wastage at “Fridays for Future” in Munich: distance yourself from unconventional thinkers
The Munich activists of “Fridays for Future” do not notice any loss. “It may not be visible from the outside,” says Sonja Ziegler. “But FFF lives.” 30 to 40 activists are regularly involved in the state capital, and the group consists of around 100 people. Due to the corona, the protest has moved to digital: “Instead of the big demos, we do a lot online, on our social media channels.” They show photos of the actions on Twitter or Instagram, often they are strike posters that they put in small groups and present at a distance. “We still do something as good as every Friday,” says Ziegler. And still reach a lot of people with it.
Demos have been viewed more critically since the lateral thinker movement, “we are aware of that.
Of course, we want to set ourselves apart and clearly distance ourselves. ”If it can be done safely again, they want to draw attention to the climate crisis again with visible strikes in Munich.
“In a democracy, demonstrations are an important means.
At the moment, however, we have to consider Corona. ”The last action took place last Friday at the EU climate summit.
“Fridays for Future” in Erding: Compulsory break due to high school exams
Jana Schröder and the Erdinger “Fridays for Future” group do not want to stop their protest either. “The motivation is still there,” she says. “Unfortunately, the sense of community has been lost a bit. It's not like it was at the beginning. ”The hard core of the group still includes seven students,“ we are 15 when it comes to actions ”. You are about to win new people. In the next few weeks, however, things will remain quiet for a reason that has nothing to do with the pandemic: A large part of the group is doing their Abitur this year.
