Protest in Frankfurt against a project from yesterday that destroys our tomorrow. We call on the conservative-socialist federal coalition government and the conservative-green state government to stop the clearing of the Dannenröder woodland immediately! Mobility transition now!

The clearing and clearcutting of the Dannenröder forest has begun. The police are sometimes aggressive against forest conservationists and have repeatedly put human lives in danger through negligence. Against the background of the Corona pandemic, the deployment of thousands of police from all over Germany is particularily irresponsible. Nevertheless, the Federal and State governments are unwavering in their determination to push through the continued construction of the A49 by all means possible – and thus also to push forward the climate crisis and species extinction.

In view of the increasing escalation in the Danni, we protested together with Ende Gelände, Fridays for Future and other groups on 20.11.2020 in Frankfurt against the clearing and for the release of imprisoned activists. The route took us past the CDU district office, the political office of the Greens and the prison (JVA). We greeted the CDU and the Greens with messages, grave-side lights and Christmas trees from last year to remind them that they are taking our livelihoods to the grave. In front of the prison we loudly communicated to the imprisoned forest activists that they are not alone!

There were speeches at all demo locations. The Koala Kollektiv spoke in front of the CDU district office:

“We are protesting here because, in the Dannenröder forest, a project from yesterday is destroying our tomorrow.

The CDU often tries to present climate protection as a particular interest of “nature” conservation organisations. It tries to make us believe that climate protection is not compatible with economic and social interests. But the opposite is the case! The climate crisis threatens the foundations of our society. Only through climate protection can social and economic interests be protected in the long term!

But the CDU does not think long-term. Its time horizon only extends to the next election.That is why it prefers to pursue a backward-looking clientelisism policy instead of courageously shaping the future. It warns against a left-wing ecodictatorship, but is blind in the right eye. It listens to the whispers of the car lobby and turns a deaf ear to the science.

The CDU refers to trade agreements and court decisions. But at the same time it is breaking the Paris Agreement, which is binding under international law. It even acts against our own constitution. For Article 20a of the constitution reads: “The state shall protect the natural foundations of life with responsibility for future generations”.

In the Dannenröder forest these foundations of life are currently being destroyed. It is inconceivable that a healthy mixed forest could be cleared for a motorway while the climate crisis continues unabated. Everywhere in Germany forests are drying up. News of devastating floods is currently reaching us from Niger and Honduras. A “business as usual” means further humanitarian disasters worldwide. And also here in Europe. But instead of finally taking action, the CDU and CSU are continuing to cut the branch we are sitting on.

The proponents of the A49 have legitimate reasons: They want less traffic noise in their villages, fewer accidents, less particulate matter. We take their concerns and needs seriously! But new roads are no solution. At best, the problems will be shifted. More likely they will even be made worse. Studies show: New roads mean more car traffic and thus more noise, more accidents, more particulate matter.
Only an expansion of rail transport can bring relief for people in the A49 catchment area. And regional supply chains.

We don’t need new motorways and we don’t need a federal car minister named Scheuer. We need a socio-ecological mobility transition that focuses on public transport and cycling. We need species-rich CO2 reservoirs like the Danni!

We therefore call for an immediate stop to the clearing of the Dannenröder Forest!

We say
Danni – stays!
Danni – stays!
Danni, Danni, Danni – stays, stays, stays!