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Demonstrators hang banners on a sign bridge over the A9 motorway near Fürholzen.
Photo: Matthias Balk / dpa
Representatives from industry and politics voiced criticism of the protests at the IAA in Munich.
Of course, demonstrations and expressions of opinion are always possible, said Bavaria's State Chancellor Florian Herrmann (CSU).
But there is also a framework of laws for them.
If other people were endangered by the actions, this cannot be tolerated.
"The IAA Mobility shows the way to climate-neutral mobility," said Hildegard Müller, President of the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), which organizes the trade fair.
“And we also discuss with those who disagree.
Our offer for dialogue is in place.
We reject violence and coercion. "
In protest against the automotive industry, activists paralyzed traffic on the motorways around Munich for a long time on Tuesday.
On the A8, A92, A94 and A96, they unfurled banners in the morning, according to the police.
In some cases, several people abseiled from motorway bridges for this purpose.
Environmentalists also demonstrated directly in front of the fair: Several Greenpeace activists climbed into the water basin in front of the fair with posters and demonstrated to say goodbye to the internal combustion engine.
Police have started an investigation
The police are now investigating those involved in the protests on the highways, among other things because of dangerous interference in road traffic and coercion, as a spokeswoman said.
The fire brigade approached with turntable ladder vehicles and set up safety cushions under the bridges.
Alpine specialists from the police were deployed.
Helicopters observed the situation from the air.
On the A9, the activists climbed a bridge of signs and pasted over the inscription. "Traffic collapse 2000 m" was now written there. The police did not open the highways again until around noon, after the demonstrations and demonstrators could be removed. Shortly afterwards, the police had to close the A94 again because several demonstrators attached a banner to a bridge just in front of the exhibition center.
The IAA auto show is taking place in Munich for the first time this year with a new concept.
70 bicycle manufacturers are represented, which some criticize as a “fig leaf”.
Opponents of the fair want to disrupt the process in order to demonstrate for a climate-friendly mobility transition.
»We are calling for car-free cities, well-developed and free public transport - especially in rural areas.
And the immediate halt to construction on all motorway projects, ”it said in a press release.
A Herculean task
The German auto industry does not see itself solely in the obligation to bring more climate protection.
The next federal government is expected to provide the right framework for climate-neutral mobility.
VDA President Müller said at the opening of the IAA Mobility in Munich that the industry is "no ifs or buts" to the goal of climate neutrality.
But politicians must ensure that there is enough green electricity and give companies the money they need for the conversion.
The restructuring of the industry is a Herculean task for the automotive industry and its 800,000 employees.
"Even higher taxes, even higher levies and even higher energy costs are the wrong way to unleash economic power," said Müller.
vki / dpa
