The Freisinger "Montagssazierer" (Monday walkers) faced headwind for the first time: "Freising ist colorful" got people moving.
Committed citizens showed a "clear edge".
Freising
– Some wanted “personal responsibility”, others wanted solidarity: As expected, two worlds collided at the registered rally of the “Freising is colorful” alliance on Monday evening on Freising’s Marienplatz.
According to estimates by the Freising police, around 100 vaccination advocates faced around 200 so-called walkers in the flutter band square to plead for reason and insight.
However, they were not impressed.
Understanding of “healthy skepticism”
"I don't want to describe the Freising walkers as Nazis." It was important for meeting leader Daniel Weigelt, district chairman of the PARTEI, to emphasize this.
Although right-wing forces would also be involved in Telegram groups in which these meetings are arranged, Weigelt said when asked by FT – together with all sorts of conspiracy theorists.
"It's time to show a clear edge," said Juso chairman Michael Firlus, who understands "healthy skepticism", but this understanding stops with such walks.
Rather no "plastic tube on the neck"
This is one of the reasons why the alliance launched the first rally in response to the unregistered walks under the motto "Solidarity with all people - we get vaccinated!" - as a joint statement by Jusos, Young Leftists, Green Youth, Young Liberals as well the PARTEI district association.
"I will not accept a white rose from the walkers," Weigelt made clear in his opening speech.
It bothers him that the Scholl siblings, who had actively resisted the Nazi regime, had to be held responsible for the actions of the Corona walkers.
Although he himself does not agree with all corona measures, in his opinion the vaccination is much better than "having a plastic tube in your throat".
Vaccination opponent speaks of “modern witch hunts”
While on the other side a walker spoke of a "vaccination apartheid" and compared the current situation in Germany with the time of racial segregation in South Africa, another Monday walker, who does not want to read her name in the newspaper, told the daily newspaper: "I am vaccinated twice, but I am against compulsory vaccination. Everyone should decide that freely.” In her opinion, only regular testing would offer better security than compulsory vaccination. She didn't want to let go of the accusation that the walkers were unabashedly walking the streets with rights. "I don't know who's on the right here." A third woman, who also doesn't want her name in the newspaper, agreed. She was unvaccinated and didn't want to change that.In her eyes, the current situation is a “modern witch hunt”.
+
Singing against the vaccination: Around 200 “walkers” gathered unannounced on Monday evening at Marienplatz in Freising.
© Lehmann
Such comparisons caused complete incomprehension on the other side.
Andreas Hauner, board member of the Green Youth, was "pissed off" about corona deniers and opponents of vaccination, who brought further restrictions to the vaccinated majority through their behavior.
What is more than clear for him: “You don’t march with Nazis!
Never!"
Juso boss wants a rational approach to the pandemic
However, very few walkers probably heard a lot of the ambitious speeches by the political youth, because the volume was just high enough to be heard well in their own ranks.
In addition, the walkers quickly formed a few singing circles on Marienplatz, which sang like a mantra, for example “The thoughts are free”, while Weigelt campaigned to be vaccinated and thus to act in solidarity.
Juso boss Firlus also found clear words: “Denial only brings more problems!” He wanted the pandemic to be dealt with rationally, in his opinion anything else would lead to radicalization.
By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
While the massive police force did not have to intervene during the rally from 7 to 8 p.m., calls for the officers were heard at the end.
Some walkers had not stopped filming the vaccination advocates with their smartphones despite being asked to do so.