As of: March 8, 2024, 7:00 a.m
By: Katrin Hager, Daniel Krehl, Bettina Stuhlweißenburg
Comments
Press
Split
All 350 seats for Holzkirchner were occupied at the citizens' meeting in the Oberbräu Hall.
© STEFAN SCHWEIHOFER
The community of Holzkirchen had prepared well: police presence, regulated access, precise answers to questions that sometimes had xenophobic connotations and many democrats in the audience contributed to the peaceful conduct of the packed citizens' meeting.
Holzkirchen – Normally the Holzkirchen citizens’ meeting is not a crowd puller.
On Wednesday evening, however, all 350 places intended for citizens of Holzkirchner were already occupied by 7:20 p.m.
Visitors from outside the area had to make do with the audio broadcast on the forecourt.
Number of participants in demo manageable
Far fewer interested people than previously thought gathered in front of the Kultur im Oberbräu.
According to the police, there were around 150 at peak times, although a decline was noticeable just as their topic, the refugee accommodation around Moarhölzl and at Vivo in Warngau, broke through the speakers.
Unlike in Warngau, they did not create a threat scenario with hooting, whistles, tractor horns and slogans.
The head of the Holzkirchner police, Christian Gollwitzer, describes the atmosphere as “unemotional and relaxed”.
There were also demonstrators with megaphones on site, but they did not use them.
Security staff and the police pointed out the rules of conduct at an early stage, but this was only necessary in a few cases.
Perhaps a handful of those present outside were interested in Mayor Christoph Schmid's report and positioned themselves in front of the second loudspeaker at the Square for Human Rights.
Directly in front of the entrance to Kultur im Oberbräu, the demonstrators' conversations with each other drowned out the broadcast outside.
There was hardly any confrontation between the vast majority of staunch opponents of refugee accommodation and the dozen visitors who rejected the strict no.
The latter could be recognized, among other things, by their rainbow parasols.
On the other side: a flashing light on a stethoscope pole, a sign, there wasn't much else.
The police had a quiet evening.
When the topic of asylum accommodation at Vivo and Moarhölzl first came up at 9:35 p.m., a good two hours after it began, only about 35 opponents and almost ten non-opponents were still waiting at the entrance in the cold drizzle.
When a question about security at the train station in view of refugees was read out with the phrase “I won't let my wife go there alone anymore,” laughter broke out in the hall, which Schmid curbed by saying that he wanted to take everyone's worries and needs seriously.
The opponents outside noticed the laughter with irritation.
Given the unexpectedly small number of participants, the number of officials was oversized.
For tactical reasons, Gollwitzer did not want to say how many police officers were on duty.
“It wasn’t just officers from the Holzkirchen police station, we also had support from the riot police.” A good hour before the meeting began, they closed Hafnergasse, among other places.
Several personnel carriers were positioned in the area.
The aim was probably to prevent tractors from driving up to the venue, as in Warngau, where the local fire department was responsible for closing the roads.
A single tractor was temporarily parked in the area of the bus stop.
Level-headed audience in the Oberbräu Hall
The mood in the hall was also calm.
Citizens followed Schmid's report with interest and voted on a total of eight proposals (report follows).
One of them suggested a meeting about the planned asylum accommodation, as had taken place in Warngau.
However, the majority of people in Holzkirchen rejected this - which the opponents of the accommodation outside the Oberbräu noted soberly.
My news
Experiences with the first 5th grade: “We make lessons more child-friendly” read
Expected rush at citizens' meeting remains to be read
Looking forward to the “centenary”: Big celebration planned for June read
After wolf attack: mountain sheep breeders worried read
There was no rush: the citizens' meeting in Holzkirchen passed quietly
A clear message to all enemies of democracy: 2,600 participants in the demonstration against right-wing extremism in Holzkirchenlesen
It wasn't the only time that it became clear that evening that there were mainly level-headed citizens in the hall: When community spokeswoman Annika Walther presented a total of 33 questions - 25 on the subject of asylum and refugees alone - you could always see people shaking their heads and hearing murmurs of disapproval.
However, there were no loud boos that would have required Schmid to intervene.
Right from the start, the mayor called for an orderly process: “I will not tolerate disruptions,” he made it clear.
The administration had previously divided the inquiries into three segments – security, asylum building and general.
Schmid answered questions about security by reading out the answers prepared by the Upper Bavaria South Police Headquarters.
He had inquiries about the asylum accommodation building answered in advance by the district office, and the administration and mayor themselves commented on the general segment.
Inquiries about security
A number of inquiries seemed to reflect the naked fear of strangers.
For example: “What is planned regarding the safety of girls and women, since men from cultures in which women are not valued are mainly accommodated there?” Or: “How many security forces – for the German population, not for the accommodation – Will the police force, which is already understaffed, be increased?" Schmid read out the following response from the police: "The 2,500 police officers in more than 50 offices at the Upper Bavaria South Police Headquarters are aware that the perceived feeling of security can be impaired." The vast majority of refugees would not be policed appear.
But there are also crimes that are committed for different motives, for example to enrich oneself, out of frustration or because of an extremist attitude.
“We see it as our job to convey that safety is guaranteed.” The aim is to maintain the high safety standard.
Schmid also took seriously requests that were probably meant to be polemical.
For example: “Will free self-defense courses for girls and women soon be offered?” Schmid replied matter-of-factly: “No, that’s not the case.” The opponents outside acknowledged this with laughter, and applause erupted in the hall.
Manageable: Instead of several hundred, only around 150 visitors, mainly opponents of the asylum accommodation in Warngau, gathered in front of the ballroom at Kultur im Oberbräu.
© STEFAN SCHWEIHOFER
Inquiries about the building
Many questioners wanted to make sure that the accommodation in Warngau would actually only last for two years.
Schmid explained that the local council had conveyed to the district office that its approval depended largely on the time limit.
“For me, this point has to do with credibility,” says Schmid.
“Personally, I can never guarantee anything that requires the majority approval of the local council.” The audience applauded him for this little help in democratic decision-making processes.
One request wanted to know more about the employer of the staff working at the accommodation.
Schmid explained that a general contractor specializing in large accommodation for 350 people or more was taking over.
This builds the accommodation and provides security and social workers.
Medical care for refugees was also an issue.
According to Schmid, the district is considering an indoor consultation hour, which already exists.
Inquiries from the “General” section
Some inquirers were concerned that refugees could take away their children's already scarce childcare places.
Schmid explained that the community would only take in children from Warngau if the Holzkirchner children were taken care of.
No daycare center is planned for Moarhölzl, just a room in which the refugees can look after their children themselves.
Refugees from Moarhölzl who work should be able to get a childcare place for their children.
When asked: “How do schools prepare for the increase in children without our children being left behind?” Schmid read out the answer from the State Education Authority.
This considers the number of 40 children currently accommodated in the gymnasiums - twelve between the ages of zero and five, 25 between the ages of six and 15 and three children between the ages of 16 and 17 - to be manageable, despite the shortage of teachers.
When asked: “Why don’t you stand in front of us to protect yourself?”
Are the people who have lived here for a long time worth nothing to you?" Schmid said: "For us, all people are equal, no matter how long they have lived here."
By the way: Everything from the region is also available in our regular Holzkirchen newsletter.