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hatrack

(59,439 posts)
Fri Sep 17, 2021, 08:16 AM Sep 2021

German Students' Climate Hunger Strike Day 17;Officials Might Meet Them, But Only After The Election

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"This election will determine the future of our young generation," spokesperson Hannah Lübbert told DW at the protest camp in a park near the Reichstag in Berlin. "If the three people who will have power over that for the next four years don't even have two hours to speak with us, after people have risked their lives for it, then they aren't fit to govern," she said.

Lübbert added that the organizers are very concerned about the health of the hunger strikers as the protest has gone on for 17 days. "This is exactly why a conversation simply needs to happen," Lübbert said, adding that the activists' hunger strike will continue until the candidates speak with them. She added that the activists in Berlin discourage others from attempting similar strikes, as they may be unprepared or not know the risks they are getting into.

Video footage of the protest camp shows the hunger strikers have bottles of vitamins, fruit juice and tea at the ready.

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The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) candidate Armin Laschet, Social Democrat (SPD) Olaf Scholz and the Greens' Annalena Baerbock have all pledged to fight climate change in their election campaigns. On Tuesday afternoon, Baerbock, Scholz and Laschet said in a joint statement that they were ready for talks with the hunger strikers — albeit not publicly and after the election. "Despite different political positions, Ms Baerbock, Mr Laschet and Mr Scholz agree that they do not find this kind of protest appropriate," the statement carried by the Greens said. "They are putting themselves in danger by doing so and possibly motivating other young people to follow suit."

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https://www.dw.com/en/germany-berlin-climate-activists-push-ahead-with-weeks-long-hunger-strike/a-59191693

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