We publish here our press release from 13.12.2022, in which we show our solidarity with the activists whose apartments were searched in order to intimidate them and to stop their activism for a livable future.
For more info, listen to the interview Radio Dreyeckland did with us (in German).
Nationwide house searches at activists of the Uprising of the Last Generation
Statement and solidarity of the Students For Future Freiburg
According to media reports, apartments of eleven activists of the Uprising of the Last Generation were searched throughout Germany. In the process, electronic devices were confiscated by the police.
Due to the failures of past and present governments, humanity is currently facing the worst and most dangerous crisis of its existence. As leading scientists point out, the next three years will determine whether the crossing of irreversible tipping points in the climate crisis can be prevented, and thus how many billions of people will be affected by existential suffering.
In this situation, activists of the “Uprising of the Last Generation” (“Aufstand der Letzten Generation) have been calling on the government to act for about a year through actions of civil disobedience, a form of democratic protest as practiced, for example, by the civil rights movement and in the early days of today’s green party (“Bündnis 90/Die Grünen). The concrete demands always consist of measures that are easy and quick to implement, have great support among the population and can efficiently curb greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, for example, the group is calling for a speed limit on highways, which according to calculations by the German Federal Environment Agency would save several million tons of carbon dioxide per year.
At five o’clock in the morning, the peace and security of eleven activists’s homes were disturbed by the police and the question remains, what they looked for. Especially since the activists always publicly committed their actions and documented them as well as stand by their activism with face and name, the impression arises that the searches were ultimately intended less to gain knowledge and more to intimidate the activists by the state.
The Freiburg chapter of Students For Future, a worldwide climate justice movement of students and young adults, therefore clearly expresses its solidarity with those affected and condemns the encroaching and morally reprehensible actions of the police. In this context, Meret Knichel from Students For Future Freiburg says: “We urgently appeal to the security authorities to become aware of their actual task: This is to protect the citizens of this country and not to take action against them in order to satisfy government interests and right-wing conservative to right-wing extremist narratives and the desire for revenge of the tabloid press.” Benedikt Wolf adds “Those who commit crimes against all humanity and literally walk over corpses sit in their bosses’ chairs and in the lobbies of parliaments, not in the homes of activists!”.
The activist group Genug ist Genug Freiburg (“Enough is Enough Freiburg”) calls for solidarity in dealing with the current inflation and energy crisis. As a group fighting for a social-ecological transformation, the Students For Future Freiburg show solidarity with the action alliance.
The current crisis is neither a coincidence nor a force of nature: we are experiencing a fossil crisis, i.e. a crisis that is due to our dependence on fossil energies such as coal and gas and the growth compulsion of our current economic system.
With price increases and the threat of not being able to pay for food and heating bills, those who have been suffering the effects of the system for decades are now suffering again from the current crisis: People who work in low-paid but system-relevant jobs as well as people who are disadvantaged in our society because of illnesses, disabilities or discrimination.
Enough is enough!
This refers not only to the fact that we are fed up with living in a system that exploits people and nature for the profit of a few, but also that there is enough for everyone – if we distribute it fairly and use natural resources responsibly.
Therefore, we join the demands of the alliance, such as taxing the super-rich, helping people with low incomes and promoting sustainable mobility and energy production.
The Students For Future Freiburg call to participate
in the demonstration on December 10 at 12 pm
at the Square of the Old Synagogue (Platz der Alten Synagoge) in downtown Freiburg!
It’s almost time: the Public Climate School is back!
The motto: “Climate Education for All”
The goal: to bring climate education to Germany’s schools and universities.
In order to join the nationwide movement, Students for Future Freiburg has planned exciting lectures, ranging from “Can We Still Be Saved?” and “The Fate of Carbon Dioxide in the Climate System”.
Regardless of whether you are a pupil, student or an interested person, you are welcome to join us for thought-provoking lectures.
Click here for the nationwide offers.
Please note: It is possible that there may be short term changes. Therefore, we recommend that you either check back here shortly before the event, subscribe to the newsletter or follow Students for Future Freiburg on Instagram!
Lectures
VW-Initiative Stop Trinity
When? Tuesday, November 8th, 18 o’clock
Where? AstA, Belfortstr. 24
The Fate of Carbon Dioxide in the Climate System
When? Thursay, November 10th., 12:15 – 13 o’clock
Where? HS3219, Kollegiengebäude III
Who? Prof. Christen, Environmental Meteorologist
Can We Still Be Saved? – Tipping Points in Climate Change
When? Friday, November 11th, 10 – 12 a.m.
Where? HS1009, Kollegiengebäude I
Who? Prof. Schindler, Environmental Meteorologist
The global warming caused by man-made climate change is altering the basic geophysical state of Earth and its ecosystems. It can and must be assumed that, through this increased warming, the possibilities of mankind to adapt to these changes are steadily decreasing.
The risk of being exposed to uncontrollable changes is increasing. Further, these uncontrollable changes in the climate are associated with a large number of climate-physical tipping points which could further trigger the rapid warming of the Earth.
So-called social tipping points [soziale Kippelemente] are considered to be an important means of inducing disruptive climate conservation actions; they could be a major contributor to the much-needed mitigation of current climatic changes. With respect to the short timeline remaining to achieve the climate conservation goals defined by the global community, one of the key questions is whether and/or how the social tipping points can be triggered.
Are you new to Freiburg and looking to meet cool people, maybe even people engaged in politics, climate and sustainability?
Or were you active in the climate movement at home and want to continue with activism and need a place/connection to do this?
Or maybe you just have too much time on your hands and want to try something new?
We, the Students for Future Freiburg, welcome you and invite you to come to some some fun events – from dancing in the street, to a clothes swap or our weekly meeting (Wednesday, 20h, Belfortstraße 24) – each is a chance to meet new people.
Come by and join us! We are so excited to get to know you 🙂
(And as a bonus, we are students from all different faculties – so we are also the answers to some of the questions that you may have in the first few weeks of Uni)
Thursday, October 6th, Workshop: Civil Disobedience
This Thursday, for an early start to orientation week, the workshop „Civil Disobedience in Climate Activism“ will take place, starting at 11:15 am, then again at 2:30 pm. The workshop will be about 1.5 hours long and in German.
Monday, October 10th: 100 days of Climate Camp in Freiburg
Orientation week starts on a special day: October 10th is the hundredth day of the climate camp on the city hall square in the inner city of Freiburg. Join us for fun festivities (more details to come soon!)
Tuesday, October 11th: Rave The Rempart (12:30 – 6 pm)
Contrary to its original announcement, the city administration has lifted the one-way street regulation in Rempartstraße, the street in front of the Mensa in the city centre.
This cannot stay!
That’s why we are once again dancing, together with Greenpeace, on Rempartstraße – we want to show that streets are there for everyone – and much nicer without cars.
In the long run, we want Rempartstraße to become completely car-free. You can further support our demands with https://www.change.org/p/rempartstra%C3%9Fe-autofrei.
Saturday, October 15th: Exchange Market on the Rempartstraße (11 am – 3 pm)
The Rempartstraße is the centre of student life in Freiburg. Between the university library, KG I, II and III and the Rempartmensa, several thousand students use the street every day.
Despite all this the city has decided to reverse the one-way street decision, opening traffic up in both directions. This despite the fact that it is clear that more cars on the streets equal more accidents.
This is why, we, Students for Future Freiburg, together with Greenpeace Freiburg, want to show what the space could be used for if there were fewer or no cars on the street. In addition to regular raves, we are organising a swap party on 15.10. from 11 am to 3 pm. You can swap all kinds of clothes, plants, books and much more. Bring what you don’t need any more, so that someone else can enjoy it!
Come by! We look forward to seeing you!
To note: Open Plenary (Meeting) at the Seepark (October 26th, 6 pm)
Next week Friday, September 23rd, Fridays For Future will again take to the streets worldwide!
Because while we are heading more and more rapidly towards climate catastrophe with each passing day, our government is not prepared to deviate from its continue as it is. Still, the profits of large corporations and the wealth of a few take precedence over the preservation of our livelihoods – this must not continue!
That is why we all demand together:
PEOPLE NOT PROFIT!
We start at 11 o’clock on the square of the old synagogue (Platz der Alten Synagoge).
Bring your friends, fellow students, acquaintances and family and be loud together with us!
We demonstrate on the highway! – July 17th
The climate crisis continues to advance and the transport sector is the only one that has not reduced its greenhouse gas emissions for decades – improved efficiency continues to be “compensated” by more, bigger and heavier cars. At the same time, the fact-free myth continues to be propagated that traffic bottlenecks can be solved by building new and expanding existing expressways and highways. In the process, large quantities of emissions are released, intact natural areas are cut up or destroyed, and agricultural areas are simply concreted over.
This may not continue!
That’s why we will be demonstrating by bike on the highway on July 17!
We will meet at 2 p.m. on the square of the Old Synagogue (“Platz der Alten Synagoge”). After an opening rally, we will take the B31 autobahn feeder road to the A5 autobahn, which we will use to get to the North exit, where an intermediate rally will take place. From there, we will take the B294 and B3 back to Freiburg, where we will conclude on the square of the Old Synagogue once again loudly and resolutely demanding a real traffic turnaround. You can find our complete demands here:
On Monday, June 20, Volker Quaschning, the famous scientist and professor for regenerative energy systems will come to Freiburg (all the way from Berlin) to lecture on Energy Transition!
Quaschning, who together with Gregor Hagedorn, founded the Scientists For Future, recieved the German Solar Prize, a special honorary award, for his personal commitment to this cause in 2020.
It is such an honor that he is travelling all the way to Freiburg, where, in his lecture titled Turning the Tide and Climate Crisis – Why We Need a Real Energy Revolution Now, he will describe the catastrophic dimensions of the current climate situation and present solutions and a strategy that explains how the energy transition can be made possible.
The lecture will take place at 8:00pm on Monday, June 20, 2022 in Lecture Hall 1010 of Kollegiengebaude (KG) 1.
The lecture will take place in German.
For those who cannot be there in person, the lecture will be streamed live and will be available here afterwards:
On Thursday, June 2, starting at 11 am we will be back on the streets for the third rave on Rempartstraße (in front of the Mensa Rempartstraße)!
As always with good music, happy vibes and possibly some sweets.
To start, some good news: the initial report, which stated that the City of Freiburg wanted to lift the restrictions on the one-way traffic and reinstate two-way traffic on the Rempartstraße, has been revoked. As it stands the City of Freiburg has stated that this was never the case – the one-way traffic would remain as is.
However, for a sustainable and safe bike/pedestrian space we need to go further.
Our demand: Restrict (ban) motor traffic and motor vehicles completely on the Rempartstraße and repurpose the existing parking garages.
So come onto the street and dance with us to push for faster and effective changes in the city’s traffic infrastructure.
Background:
The current traffic infrastructure in the City of Freiburg is greatly diminishing the quality of life and dangerously affecting the safety of pedestrians and bikers. The Rempartstraße, located between the Mensa and University Building 1 [Kollegiegebaude 1], cuts through the middle of a central hub of student life. The street allows for thorough traffic and access to the parking garages. However, this leads to increasingly dangerous situations between motor vehicles and pedestrians, especially during the hours of operation of the Mensa.
Furthermore, the advances of climate change do not leave any time to hesitate. It is essential that the existing infrastructure be changed to help the planet. Downtown areas [Innenstädte] must be freed from motor vehicles – especially in the so-called “bike city Freiburg”.
Therefore we demand that motor vehicles and traffic be banned completely on the Rempartstraße from the intersection Kaiser-Joesph-Straße to Werthmannstraße.
Another issue we can address through this demand (and the change in infrastructure) is the lack of affordable housing and bike racks (for normal and cargo bikes). The existing parking spaces are always filled during the peak hours of university activity which in turn compromises space for pedestrians.
Here we demand that the parking garage on the side towards the Breisacher Tor be repurposed for affordable housing and the university parking garage be repurposed into a garage for bikes.