As of: March 2, 2024, 6:00 a.m
By: Michaele Heske
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50 demonstrators were cycling for the climate.
Gerald Forstmaier (r.), co-organizer of the Dorfen climate campaign, led the parade.
© Weingartner
This year there was a bike tour and rally instead of a Fridays for Future demonstration through Dorfen.
However, the organizers met with rather moderate interest.
Dorfen
– Instead of a Fridays for Future demo procession, a good 50 cyclists started at the outdoor swimming pool in Dorfen on Friday afternoon and rode their bikes through the city center up to the B15 and back again.
With this cycling flash mob, the demonstrators wanted to show that the street belongs to them as much as it belongs to motorized traffic: “We don't hinder the traffic, we are the traffic,” said Anton Empl, who was cycling at the front of the group.
And his wife Resi added: “It goes without saying that we are here today – we are by no means complainers or do-gooders, but we want to wake up the broad masses with this campaign.”
Attention would be gained through a “critical mass”, a climate movement in which many cyclists meet spontaneously and ride together on the streets, says Gerald Forstmaier from the Dorfen Climate Protection Alliance.
“We want to draw attention to the urgency of the mobility transition” – a “legal action” that was escorted by the Dorfen police.
Robert Scharl from Landersdorf and his son Luis also cycled for climate protection: “It is important that we tackle things now,” he said.
Would drivers have been annoyed by the parade?
“It’s Friday afternoon – and we don’t have tractors and don’t want to block traffic.” His boy is also interested in green issues, said Scharl.
“After all, it’s about the future of our children.”
The organizers wanted to shake up the masses.
“Your grandchildren will ask: What did you do about it?” read one poster.
Speaker Lisa Shooter from Grüntegernbach called for better bus connections.
© Weingartner
At 4 p.m., all cyclists and another 40 demonstrators met for the rally at Marienplatz, significantly fewer than in the first few years, when the FFF protest drew well over 200 Dorfen residents onto the streets: “It saddens me that so few now young people take part in the demos,” said Susanne Holzner.
Since Corona, the movement has collapsed, said the woman from Dorfen.
It is possible that every action has its time and that today people are more involved against the right, speculated Green Party city councilor Ulli Frank-Mayer.
This is exactly where Fabian Wolferstetter, physicist and expert in solar thermal energy from Dorfen, got involved.
In his speech, he called against “right-wing climate ignorance” and “politically committed hostility to science”.
Above all, the focus is on the AfD, “unelectable not only because of the racist slogans, but also because they doubt climate change and propose wrong measures.”
The fact is that climate change is progressing faster than scientists expected.
“The 1.5 degree target was already broken in 2023, and in Germany the average temperature was even 2.3 degrees higher,” said Wolferstetter.
Climate protection includes “social living conditions,” said Stefan Brandhuber.
Because climate policy needs acceptance among the population: “This depends on whether living conditions worsen.” Anyone who is dissatisfied turns away: “Social security and standards must be adhered to.” Lisa Schießer from Grüntegernbach demanded “Right of way for them Public transport”: “District Administrator Martin Bayerstorfer must further expand bus transport in rural areas instead of cutting lines.”