Fridays for the future: climate activists disrupt Lindner's speech in Leipzig

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eIn fact, Christian Lindner came to the University of Leipzig on Tuesday to talk about Western values ​​and a new system issue. But the leader of the FDP, who has not sympathized with his claim that climate protection is "something that professionals" count among young climate activists, is initially exposed to many protests.

A larger group of young people gather on the scene with a banner: "Only experts in environmental destructive politics can protect the climate?" Just about our corpses. "Before that, the activists were lying on the plateau like dead – a kind of demonstration that also took place recently in the Bundestag.

Lindner reacts by referring to Jürgen Habermas, who turned 90 on Tuesday. The philosopher understands the leader of the FDP as follows: "Here you are allowed, here you are allowed to sleep and sleep – you must not disturb.To talk to you and discuss, it is welcome."

The audience responds with applause. The protesters – including those who were on the ground before – stand up and announce aloud with interjections: "What do we want?" "Climate justice!" "When do we want it?" – "Now!" (What do we want? Climate Justice – When Do We Want It? – Now!) According to the Leipzig Branch of Fridays for Future, not only are students involved in the protest, but also the Students for Future, much more enraged Rebellion Group Extinguishment and the movement of the end of the field, which has far left influences. The scenes can be seen in several videos that circulate online – one of which has even been shared by Lindner on Twitter.

A male voice from the auditorium responds loudly to the demands of climate activists: "Fuck yourself, Communists!" The audience applauds and laughs. The young protesters have already started leaving the room.

Lindner tries to bring objectivity back into the lecture hall of the University of Leipzig. "Wait, you do not want to go now?" He asks. A young woman, who seems to be the spokesperson for the group, answers: "Yes, we want to go there". Lindner remains persistent: he does not like his opponents to leave him in protest and do not want to argue with him.

The young woman returns briefly, reaches out to the microphone. Lindner asks a little patience: "They immediately have the microphone." This patience does not seem to have the demonstrator. She turns away, still complains that the policy has not yet taken the necessary steps and seems to leave the room for her comrades.

A Steepvorlage for Lindner, who says now: The activists had come with legitimate concerns, the young woman is complaining that politics does not talk enough about climate change. But if – as in this situation – the possibility exists, they showed no willingness to dialogue but left the room dumb. "I think it's wrong and undemocratic," concluded the FDP leader.

Review of the incident that Lindner later reported on Twitter: I think that political engagement is a good thing, but we are fighting for arguments too! "Activists were only interested in silent gestures." I may have misunderstood climate policy once. More I would have discussed. "

Upon request, Lindner explains to WELT that he would at least have been able to keep his presentation on "liberalism in relation to authoritarianism" – "but only after the action".

The FDP Leipzig comments on the incident on Twitter with the words "noise instead of speech".

Friday for the future publishes a photo of the campaign: "You are not professionals, but professionals of a ridiculously shy climate policy," they write on Twitter. "Party donations speak volumes."

The federal spokesman for Leftjugend Solid, the youth organization of the leftist party, also has a say. Michael Neuhaus, present at the event, tweets: Lindner spoke about Western values ​​and the new question of the system. "Climate change is deadly What are these values ​​that accept this? New system issue? System change!"