“I have been appalled for days.” an activist of the Last Generation begins her speech, speaking from the heart of many of those present.

About 250 people came to the spontaneously organized rally, more than we could have hoped for.

Less than 48 hours before, the Bavarian public prosecutor’s office was responsible for searching the apartments of activists throughout Germany, blocking accounts and “confiscating” the website and communication channels, i.e. censoring them from the public. Immediately afterwards, people who wanted to access the website letztegeneration.de were informed by the public prosecutor’s office that the group is a criminal organization and that anyone who participates or donates is liable to prosecution.

“Did I miss a court ruling?”

No, but the question posed in another speech seems legitimate: Since when, in a constitutional state, does the public prosecutor’s office pronounce judgments, decide for itself whether a crime has been committed, without even having opened a court case? After an hour, the aforementioned notice disappears again, of course without justification or apology from the responsible persons. Just a mistake?!
The mood on the square of the Old Synagogue in Freiburg’s city center is horrified. Repressions against the climate justice movement, state persecution and bourgeois-media disparagement of activists are frustratingly familiar to most here, but the new quality is nevertheless appalling. From insults (“completely crazy”, Olaf Scholz in front of students) to completely disproportionate prison sentences of several months for sitting on the street for a few minutes to house searches like terrorists, which obviously do not serve to gain knowledge but only to intimidate – seen positively it becomes clear: the powerful are afraid!

We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts all the people who stood with us yesterday against these perfidious tactics, who came in such large numbers despite the short-term mobilization.

As Students For Future, we choose different forms of protest than the activists of Last Generation. However, the whole climate justice movement is united by the concern and the will to fight peacefully for a future worth living with all our efforts, which is why we stand in unbroken solidarity with them.

The climate justice movement will not be divided – CLIMATE PROTECTION IS NOT A CRIME

In the gallery you can find some pictures of the demonstration and the protest march, which was formed after the end of our rally without our participation by brave and committed people.

The past has shown that civil resistance works – the women’s rights movement, the anti-apartheid movement – here and now is the moment to show once again that together we can do great things!
Together, let’s show the government that we refuse to sit still and accept our fate in silence and resignation in the face of increasing water scarcity and heat.
Let’s show the government that we will take them at their word when they enshrine the protection of our livelihoods in the Constitution.
The success of past protest movements and current science are on our side.

Quote from Sina, activist at the Last Generation, in their speech at the rally (translated)

Thanks to Georg from Students For Future for the photos, Sina and Zoe from Last Generation for the speech quotes!

On Friday, March 3, 2023, people around the world will again take to the streets to demonstrate for climate justice policies!
Despite a new government under Olaf Scholz, who put up posters claiming “Chancellor for Climate Protection” during the election campaign, the current German government will also once again fail miserably to meet its own targets of emitting fewer greenhouse gases.
While parts of the government dream of making it easier to rebuild highways in the future and it suddenly seems necessary as a matter of course to ramp up coal-fired power plants and build new liquefied natural gas terminals, countless people in the global South, but increasingly also in Europe and Germany, are already suffering the consequences of the climate catastrophe.
At the same time, new evidence shows that even the goals of the Paris climate agreement will only be enough to prevent global tipping points from occurring if we are very lucky. These tipping points have the potential to trigger a chain reaction that will change our environment in a way that life on large parts of the Earth’s surface will no longer be possible!
In these times we stand resolutely against a “business as usual”, against naive belief in technology and fatalistic blindness.
Join us and come to the square of the old synagogue in the center of Freiburg on March 3rd at 12 o’clock!
We are here, we are loud – BECAUSE YOU ARE STEALING OUR FUTURE!

Not in Freiburg? Check the nationwide map for a strike near you!

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).

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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.