- Title: Sea-Watch 3 captain Carola Rackete joins climate activists in Berlin
- Date: 7th October 2019
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) CLIMATE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE BLOCKING TRAFFIC AT MAIN SQUARE "GROSSER STERN" (BIG STAR) BELOW VICTORY COLUMN DANCING PAST POLICE VAN CYCLISTS DRIVING PAST AS CHEERS ARE HEARD FROM SUPPORTERS VICTORY COLUMN VARIOUS OF SOAP BUBBLES IN CROWD VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS BELOW VICTORY COLUMN THREE PEOPLE APPEARING TO SLEEP ON GROUND "EXTINCTION REBELLION" PLACARD GERMAN CAPTAIN OF RESCUE SHIP SEA-WATCH 3, CAROLA RACKETE, STANDING BEHIND MICROPHONE PROTESTERS BELOW VICTORY COLUMN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CAPTAIN OF RESCUE SHIP SEA-WATCH 3, CAROLA RACKETE, SAYING: "It has been one year since I blocked access to the British economy ministry in London with Extinction Rebellion. (Applause heard) At the time, we were just a handful of people. Today, Extinction Rebellion is a global movement." (Applause heard) FLAG BEING RAISED NEXT TO VICTORY COLUMN RACKETE STANDING BELOW VICTORY COLUMN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CAPTAIN OF RESCUE SHIP SEA-WATCH 3, CAROLA RACKETE, SAYING: "As Extinction Rebellion we demand that net emissions be reduced to zero by 2025 as part of an emergency programme as well as an immediate halt to the loss of biodiversity. What we also demand, and this is the interesting part, is that there be a citizens' gathering which votes on the necessary measures. Extinction Rebellion will never make concrete policy proposals. We are saying the issue has to be handed back democratically to the citizens who then decide on the measures together." PLACARD IN GERMAN READING "A PIECE OF BERLIN" (SOUNDBITE) (German) EXTINCTION REBELLION SPOKESWOMAN, ANNEMARIE BOTZKI, SAYING: "We are in the middle of Grosser Stern square, below the Victory Column and Extinction Rebellion blocked the entire square, meaning five main thoroughfares are currently blocked. We are roughly 1,200 activists from across Germany as well as Sweden, Poland, France and Switzerland. We are peacefully blocking this main square in the middle of Berlin. We demand from the German government to immediately declare a state of climate emergency." VARIOUS OF MAN SLEEPING IN MIDDLE OF STREET AHEAD OF MAIN PROTESTS AS POLICE MOTOR CYCLE DRIVES PAST VARIOUS OF SINGING ACTIVISTS BLOCKING CENTRAL POTSDAMER PLATZ SQUARE VARIOUS DAY BREAK PICTURES OF ACTIVISTS BELOW VICTORY COLUMN, ILLUMINATED TV TOWER AND BRANDENBURG GATE IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 21st October 2019 12:34
- Keywords: rescue ship captain Carola Rackete climate change protection protest Berlin Extinction rebellion
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Environment,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B03K5L3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Thousands of climate change activists blocked traffic at two main squares in Berlin on Monday, kicking off a week of protests intended to force the German government to take more drastic measures to protect the environment.
Defying almost freezing temperatures, activists singing "Solid as a rock, rooted as a tree" gathered at dawn at the iconic Victory Column near Berlin's Tiergarten park.
At sunset some were sleeping in insulated bags in the middle of the roundabout as police on motorbikes drove by. No arrests were made and the protest remains peaceful.
Police blocked the five avenues that converge on the roundabout to prevent cars and buses from reaching the demonstration, which would have resulted in traffic chaos during the morning rush hour.
Other activists rode on bicycles across the city to draw attention to their campaign, organised by the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, which held simultaneous protests in Amsterdam.
German Sea-Watch 3 captain Carola Rackete, an outspoken supporter of the climate protection movement, said Extinction Rebellion wanted the German government to reduce net emissions "to zero by 2025 as part of an emergency programme."
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is expected on Wednesday to approve the main details of landmark climate protection measures that have been described as unambitious by critics.
At the centre of the protesters' outrage is a decision to introduce a carbon dioxide price of 10 euros ($10.96) a tonne for transport and heating in buildings from 2021 and gradually increase it to 35 euros in 2025.
Economists and activists had hoped for a starting price of at least 40 euros and point to Switzerland where that price is about 90 euros for heating with fossil fuels.
(Production: Leon Malherbe, Oliver Ellrodt, Fanny Brodersen, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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