2024-01-10 21:36:00

6.30 p.m.: The demo day comes to an end

The tractors have left, a long day of protests is coming to an end. The SÜDKURIER also ends its reporting for today. Here anyone interested can find the text by editor Kirsten Astor, who was at the rally at the market place. You can read what the organizers, politicians, police and the people of Konstanz said on site here.

5 p.m.: Konstanz police draw positive conclusions

The Konstanz police stated in a press release that the day of protest – the tractor rally and the rally – went smoothly and peacefully. According to the officials on site, around 230 machines had gathered in the Mainau parking lot in the morning and then drove in several convoys towards the city center, accompanied by the police.

Morning on the Mainau: Farmers line up with their tractors in the Mainau parking lot (center of the picture), while the police place their vehicles in sight (bottom right of the picture). | Image: Timm Lechler

On the way there, other farmers joined the demonstration in their tractors. While the tractors drove their rounds through Konstanz, there were “only isolated, minor traffic disruptions”.

You might also be interested in Konstanz Tractors are circling the city – now farmers are also demonstrating in Konstanz

At lunchtime, the participants finally parked their vehicles on Little Venice to take part in the rally on the market site that was announced for 2 p.m. The police press office writes: “Around 750 people finally gathered there to demonstrate once morest the subsidy cuts and the agricultural policy of the last few years.”

You might also be interested in the Konstanz Farmers’ Rally – 750 participants are at the market place

3:05 p.m.: Organizer takes stock

Florian Fuchs, chairman of the BLHV local association, is relieved that everything went off peacefully. According to his estimate, between 300 and 400 tractors took part in the protest in Konstanz. This number can also be heard from the police at the market, who also praise the good organization of the demonstration.

The Konstanz co-organizer Florian Fuchs says: “This event was necessary. But words alone don’t count for much.” He hopes that the speeches in Konstanz will now be followed by numerous actions. | Image: Hanser, Oliver

And what conclusion does co-organizer Fuchs draw? The man from Konstanz says: “This event was necessary. But words alone don’t count for much. We expect our phones to ring as soon as the protest week is over and we sit down at the table with the politicians. What counts is actions.”

Now the first farmers are heading home. They can be heard throughout the city.

Farmers are loudly on their way home Video: Kirsten Astor

2.30 p.m.: Applause and whistles in the market place

Stefan Corpsauer, district chairman of the Baden Agricultural Association (BLHV), speaks to the hundreds of participants in the farmers’ protest at the market place. The local police estimate the number of listeners in the heart of the council city to be around 750 people (pictures of the rally at the market place can be found here). At some points in his speech he received cheers and applause.

Stefan Corpsauer speaks at the market place Video: Oliver Hanser/Kirsten Astor

Bundestag member Lina Seitzl (SPD) finds clear words: It would not be acceptable for hundreds of angry farmers to prevent Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck from leaving a ferry. This leads to whistles and heckling from the crowd that has gathered in the market place.

Andreas Jung, CDU member of the Bundestag, also has to endure the headwind from protest participants at times. When he emphasized the importance of regional products in his speech, some listeners rewarded him with applause.

The mood briefly threatens to change Video: Hanser, Oliver

1:50 p.m.: More and more people in the city center

The rally will begin on the market in a few minutes. Farmers and curious people gather at the market place. Patrick Romer is also taking part in the demo as a part-time farmer. “I always thought that only the French and Swiss might demonstrate,” says the man from Konstanz, who became known through various TV formats. He adds: “I’m thrilled that we’re doing this now. Everyone is complaining, but so far only in the living room. There’s no politics being played on the sofa.”

“Everyone is complaining, but so far only in the living room,” says Patrick Romer, who became known throughout Germany through “Bauer sucht Frau”. | Image: Kirsten Astor

1:05 p.m.: Tractor protest reaches the market place

The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Kaiserbrunnen on the market site. In addition to the demonstration leader Florian Fuchs, the district chairman of the BLHV, Stefan corpseauer, will speak. Bundestag members Andreas Jung (CDU) and Lina Seitzl (SPD) also took to the microphone. According to organizers, the event is expected to end around 3 p.m. Even following that, there might still be traffic disruptions.

While some demo participants are still parking their tractors in Little Venice, the market place is filling up with more and more people around 1 p.m. | Image: Hanser, Oliver At around 12.40 p.m. this impressive picture emerges: Farmers have parked their tractors on the market site. | Image: Hanser, Oliver

12.20 p.m.: Traffic is at a standstill on the Schänzle Bridge

Due to the increasing number of vehicles (pictures of the tractors can be found here), the traffic flow on the left and right banks of the Rhine is becoming a little slower. The approach to the Schänzle Bridge is also a little slower. However, there can be no talk of traffic jams or traffic chaos at this point. This aerial photo also shows that.

View of the Schänzle Bridge at lunchtime: Here the tractors roll up the driveway from Reichenaustraße. The oncoming lane, however, appears empty. | Image: Timm Lechler

As Katrin Rosenthal, press spokeswoman for the Konstanz police, said in response to SÜDKURIER’s inquiry, there were no incidents or even accidents in connection with the demonstration that morning. The farmers’ protest is peaceful and orderly. It is not yet clear how many tractors drive around Konstanz. The police will still announce a number. Probably early followingnoon.

The tractors slowly roll over the driveway onto the Schänzle Bridge and over the Seerhein. Police officers secure the route of the demonstrating farmers. | Image: Timm Lechler Progress on the connection to Konstanz on the left bank of the Rhine is also slow at times. | Image: Timm Lechler

11.45 a.m.: Smugglers are coming from all directions

More and more farmers are reaching the Konstanz city area on their tractors. In the meantime, no one who is in this area can miss – or ignore – the farmers’ demonstration. This video also shows that.

Tractor protest reaches the Old Rhine Bridge Video: Hanser, Oliver

11.10 a.m.: The tractors arrive at Star Square

The protest reaches the banks of the Seerhein in Konstanz. The first machines roll over the star square. Now the farmers drive through Konstanz on their tractors in the ring road. From now on, traffic disruptions must be expected on the Reichenaustraße – New Rhine Bridge (Schänzlebrücke) – Grenzbachstraße – Laube – Old Rhine Bridge route.

The first tractors have now arrived in Konstanz. Here they roll over the star square. | Photo: Hanser, Oliver Then they continue on Spanierstraße and Reichenaustraße in the direction of Schänzlebrücke. | Image: Hanser, Oliver

10:50 a.m.: First column with around 70 vehicles starts

The first tractors roll out of the Mainau parking lot and a horn concert begins. Around 70 vehicles are making their way towards Konstanz. We continue towards the city center via the Allmannsdorf district.

The first farmers set off with their tractors into the Konstanz city area. | Image: Timm Lechler

As Katrin Rosenthal, press spokeswoman for the Konstanz police, said in response to SÜDKURIER’s inquiry, her colleagues on site had counted 230 vehicles up to this point. Meanwhile, the Konstanz police inform regarding their appearance on social networks that they will “carry out traffic control measures in the Konstanz city area and be present on site”. Nevertheless, significant traffic disruptions are to be expected, particularly in the inner city area and on the routes to Konstanz.

” data-fcms-embed-type=”facebook_post” data-fcms-embed-mode=”provider” data-fcms-embed-storage=”local”> We need your consent to display Facebook post Here you can enter with your consent external content can be displayed that complements the editorial text. By activating the content via “Accept and display”, Facebook can store or retrieve post information on your device and collect and process your personal data, including in countries outside the EU with a lower Data protection level to which you expressly consent. The consent applies to your current page visit, but can be withdrawn by you using the slider. We need your consent to display a Facebook post. External content can be loaded here with your consent supplements the content. With your consent, Facebook Post can collect your personal data and process it in countries outside the EU with a lower level of data protection. You can withdraw your consent at any time by clicking on the privacy link at the bottom of the page.

10:30 a.m.: An estimated 200 tractors are now there

Kevin Braun, co-organizer of the demo in Konstanz, estimated around 10:30 a.m. that around 200 vehicles had arrived. He can’t say how many more there will be. Some of the farmers also came with gritting and clearing vehicles to clear the city of snow and ice during the journey.

The farmers line up with their tractors in the Mainau parking lot on Wednesday morning, January 10th. Numerous vehicles can already be seen from the air. | Photo: Timm Lechler These vehicles, which are parked in a separate section of the parking lot, are the ones that will later be parked at the market site, where the rally is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. | Image: Timm Lechler

Dirk Hoffmann from the police in Konstanz takes an initial assessment at the Mainau parking lot: The collection phase and the journeys went smoothly. Regarding the number of emergency services, it is said that there are “sufficient forces” on site.

The police accompanies the demonstration and is present on site with numerous forces. | Image: Timm Lechler

10 a.m.: More and more tractors arrive at Mainau

Farmers meet with their machines in the parking lot of the Flower Island. From there the convoy starts towards the city area. The police are also on site. Ten officers’ vehicles are within sight of the assembly point.

More and more tractors are gathering in the Mainau parking lot. On Wednesday morning, January 10th, they will set off together towards Konstanz city center. | Image: Timm Lechler Many of the tractors in the Mainau parking lot have signs and posters that are intended to express farmers’ dissatisfaction with agricultural policy. | Image: Timm Lechler

The farmers also want to demonstrate in Konstanz once morest the “misguided agricultural policy”. Florian Fuchs, the chairman of the Konstanz local branch of the Baden Agricultural Association (BLHV), explained this in advance. He expects hundreds of protesters on Wednesday, January 10th.

Why are farmers taking to the streets? The federal government announced in mid-December 2023 that it wanted to cancel financial benefits for farmers in order to plug the large budget hole. So far, farmers have paid less mineral oil tax on diesel fuel than normal consumers, and agriculture is also exempt from vehicle tax for tractors. The fact that federal politicians want to change this sparked fierce resistance from farmers. On Thursday, January 4th, the Traffic Light Coalition announced that it would partially reverse planned cuts in subsidies for farmers.
In addition, a Bundestag petition launched on December 17, 2023 once morest the cuts in agricultural subsidies reached the necessary threshold of 50,000 signatures. Currently (as of January 9, 2024, 4:30 p.m.) around 73,000 people have signed. The petition runs until Tuesday, January 16th. The Bundestag’s petitions committee then has to deal with the austerity plans. Why wasn’t there a demonstration on January 8th? While tractor convoys were on the move across Germany on Monday, January 8th, things remained quiet in the largest city on Lake Constance. Around 60 participants – mainly from Switzerland – gathered at the market place for a rally that was registered but not coordinated with the agricultural associations. An attempt was made here to use the farmers’ action week for their own political agenda.
The district association of the Baden Agricultural Association (BLHV) had organized a rally that day and numerous farmers from the Konstanz district made their way to Mühlhausen-Ehingen for a rally. Over 600 people came together and almost 500 tractors gave a huge honking concert. You might also be interested in Konstanz tractor protest, manure and free riders? “We farmers are now driving very hard to the border”
1704932951
#Tractor #demo #Konstanz #farmers #protest