Germany updates: Protesters rally over climate, abortion
Climate demonstrations are taking place across Germany after the German government announced a new “pragmatic” approach to energy policy.
Earlier this week, conservative German Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche unveiled a series of proposals, such as the building of new gas-fired plants and the phasing out of certain renewable subsidies, in order to boost energy security and supply.
Police told German news agency epd that around 3,000 people gathered in Berlin’s Invalidenpark against the government’s proposal, under the motto “ #ExitGasEnterFuture.” The demonstration was called for by the Fridays for Future climate movement.
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Nele Evers, a spokesperson for Fridays for Future Berlin, told the demonstrators that as the climate crisis escalates, “the government puts the interests of fossil fuel companies ahead of our right to a future.”
Protests also took the northern German city of Bremen, where 750 people took part, and the city of Braunschweig, where police said there were 800 demonstrators present.
Hundreds also demonstrated in the historic city center of Dresden, which lies in Germany’s east.