Climate protest at Porsche escalates: VW simply lets activists stick, turns off the lights and heating

Created: 2022-10-26 04:57

By: Patrick Freiwah

Autostadt Wolfsburg: climate protection activists from the "Scientist Rebellion" movement discuss with a Volkswagen manager.

© Screenshot: Twitter/GGrimalda

Climate protectors pay Volkswagen a visit to confront the group with the consequences of its business model.

It comes to scandal and allegations.

Wolfsburg/Munich – How far can and should protests go?

An incident in Wolfsburg a few days ago occupied climate protectors and the Volkswagen Group.

Members of the "Scientist Rebellion" protest movement - an association of scientists - had glued themselves to the floor in a showroom with luxury Porsche sleds to demonstrate for decarbonization in the transport sector.

Several activists glued themselves to the ground in the “Porsche Pavilion” in the Autostadt Wolfsburg and stayed there longer than planned.

Only the morning after next (Friday) did the police end the action in consultation with the manufacturer because the protesters had reached their physical limits.

According to the environmentalists, employees of the group also harassed those present and also refused bowls for human necessities.

Wolfsburg: climate protectors protest at VW – “Refused to urinate and defecate”

The climate protest could be followed on social networks such as Twitter, which led to heated reactions – both positive and malicious.

In the evening, for example, both the light and the heating were switched off in the pavilion, doors were locked and the climate protectionists were left to their fate without food.

After the end of the protest, a statement from the Wolfsburg Autostadt read that the activists had been cared for under the given circumstances and that their hygienic needs had also been taken care of.

The Protestants were denied the desire to speak to VW boss Oliver Blume.

Scientist Gianluca Grimalda, who otherwise works for the Kiel World Economic Institute, commented on the scandal in Wolfsburg via Twitter.

"They refused our request for a bowl to urinate and defecate," he explains and explains the background to the protest action.

One concern of his and his fellow campaigners: persuade Volkswagen to support a speed limit of 100 km/h on freeways.

According to the researchers, this implementation is necessary in order to be able to achieve the “decarbonization” of the planet in the long term.

However, German politicians have so far refused to set a speed limit of 130 km/h.

In addition, security staff would not have let the protest group sleep. After the first night, Grimalda complained of swelling on her glued hand.

At first, Volkswagen did not let doctors in, but later allowed it.

According to Grimalda, they found a "life-threatening" blood clot.

While the climate protection activist left the group earlier for medical reasons, the rest of the climate protection movement stayed next to the luxury cars and was finally removed and arrested by the police after 42 hours and two nights.

Almost at the same time, there were also protests at the Paris Motor Show, in which environmentalists protested in front of luxury vehicles.

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Wolfsburg: climate protectors occupy the VW pavilion – “greenwashing and lobbying”

After the end of the campaign, the climate protector commented on the events and made allegations against the VW group: "It is clear to me that you cannot live in someone else's building and can expect to be treated nicely.

I just wanted to highlight the Autostadt director's hypocrisy by first saying they want to support our right to protest and then taking a series of actions to exhaust our physical stamina.”

The demand for a 100 km/h limit is a widespread protest:

As the scientist explains in a statement, there is "a short and fast-closing window to ensure a livable and sustainable future for all".

The latest IPCC report would make that clear.

“We cannot allow greenwashing and lobbying by multinationals like VW to delay urgent climate action.

Our lives depend on it,” Grimalda explains.