Extinction Rebellion climate movement plans blockades in Berlin from 7 October

The climate activist movement Extinction Rebellion plans several road blockades and other activities in Germany’s capital Berlin starting on 7 October, saying they want to use non-violent protest and civil disobedience to get the government to act on climate change. “The government must lay open the truth about the ecological crisis and declare a climate emergency,” said Extinction Rebellion activist Lu Yen Roloff at a press conference in Berlin. The group demands that the government introduces measures to ensure Germany reaches net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Germany’s official goal is to reduce emissions by 80-95 percent by 2050, and chancellor Merkel has said the government aims for climate neutrality by that year. Extinction Rebellion also calls for setting up a “Citizens’ Assembly” made up of randomly selected people and supported by experts to take binding climate action decisions – alluding to the Irish citizens' assembly as a role model. Next week, the organisers expect several thousand activists from more than 100 regional groups across Germany – in addition to activists from Poland, Sweden and Denmark – to join protesters in Berlin. “Monday is just the beginning. We have prepared for at least a week of protests,” said Roloff.

The Berlin events are part of a two-week wave of activities (“international rebellion”) in major cities across the globe, such as London, Paris, New York and New Delhi. Extinction Rebellion originates in the United Kingdom, where activists blocked several London bridges in November 2018. Other protests have followed since. As the group’s latest stunt, the Guardian reported that protesters tried to spray fake blood on the British Treasury main building this week.