Police said streets leading to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate were clogged with trucks and tractors on Monday (January 15) as more than 10,000 farmers poured into the German capital.
More protests are planned across the country as Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government struggles to overcome a budget crisis. Official data showed the German economy shrank last year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
German farmers protest against the removal of tax subsidies for agricultural vehicles in Frankfurt on January 11. Photo: CNN
Major road blockages stretched across cities from east to west including Hamburg, Cologne, Bremen, Nuremberg and Munich – with up to 2,000 tractors taking part in the protests.
Outside the cities, German motorways were also targeted by protesters, causing severe traffic disruptions.
Farmers are angry about Mr Scholz's government's austerity plans, which include cutting tax breaks for agriculture.
“The government doesn’t listen to us, they make regulations that hurt each and every one of us, not just farmers but everyone in this country,” said Martin, a farmer protesting in Berlin in Rügen. “All the farmers standing here are worried about their livelihoods…” said Steven, a farmer from West Pomerania.
Chancellor Scholz's administration sparked a backlash in December when it made surprise changes to the draft 2024 budget, revising some planned subsidy cuts on January 4.
Germany's far-right AfD party has increasingly made itself visible at protests this week. Some tractors were decorated with AfD posters reading “Our farmers come first” and “Germany needs new elections.”
Mai Van (according to CNN)
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