German Farmers Protests Lead to Cancellation of Greens Meeting

On Wednesday, the German Greens, who are part of the coalition government led by Olaf Scholz, canceled a political convention for security reasons after farmers and truckers blocked access to Biberach town.

RELATED:

Bulgarian Farmers Demand Compensation for Ukrainian War Effects

It was planned that the Greens would hold their traditional meeting today on Ash, attended by about a thousand party members, including co-leader Ricarda Lang, Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, and Winfried Kretschmann, the prime minister of the Baden-Württemberg state.

Michael Gross, a local organizer for the Green Party, announced the cancellation due to the "aggressive" atmosphere around the town hall auditorium where the event was to be held.

In the morning, hundreds of tractors had blocked access to Biberach and surrounding streets, unloading a large pile of manure, as well as stones and sandbags.

The text reads, "Post-democracy in Germany: pepper spray without necessity. This is how the German police are taking action against peaceful farmers and demonstrators. Today in Biberach an der Riß. The Green Party's political event was canceled due to the protests."

The police used pepper spray to disperse a group of protesters blocking the passage of a convoy of vehicles carrying Minister Özdemir. One of the vehicles had its window broken.

Objects were thrown at officers and vehicles in "aggressive protest actions," resulting in several minor injuries and property damage.

The Baden-Württemberg Farmers' Association distanced itself from the protests, stating that they were organized by individuals, although the protesters were mainly farmers and truckers.

German farmers began mobilizing after Christmas holidays when the government announced that diesel subsidies would be gradually phased out.

As part of the protests, they have blocked roads and have occasionally paralyzed the center of Berlin and other major cities in the country.

Last month, a group of protesters prevented Economy Minister Robert Habeck from disembarking from a ferry on which he was traveling with his family.

The Habeck incident brought to light the influence and possible instrumentalization of the farmers' protests by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.