On May 31st, 2024, members of the Bremen and Lübeck precincts participated in Fridays For Future events in their respective cities. Precinct captains Jodi Szarko and Cynthia Walther share their impressions of the day.
FFF in Bremen
By Jodi Szarko
This Friday, some of our members joined hundreds of our fellow Bremers in standing up for climate change and democracy. Although it was a rainy day, the turnout was decent! Five hundred people showed up to march for climate justice, and it was estimated that up to a thousand marched through the streets.
There were many Germans who were launching their own GOTV campaigns for the EU elections next week, so they were very sympathetic to our cause. The motto for this March was “Reclaim the Future,” so it was reassuring to see so many young people invested in these causes. This is also the first time 16 year olds can vote in EU elections, so youth rights were particularly championed. There was even a young lady from the sixth grade who gave a compelling speech calling for all of us to act now so she can have a better future. We should look for her in the Reichstag in about 20 years.
There were 90 cities throughout Germany who held rallies that day, marked with chants and songs. We were excited to find a few American students who are studying in Bremen, so we were able to spread the word to our fellow countrypeople! Ultimately, the repeated use of the chant (in English) “What do we want? Climate Justice? When do we want it? Now!!” sent a clear and simple message that we all need to do our part to male sure our next generation gets to prosper, especially at the ballot box!
FFF in Lübeck
By Cynthia Walther
At the end of May, Fridays for Future held a protest in Lübeck and naturally the Lübeck Precinct of Democrats Abroad was there! A small but enthusiastic group of Americans gathered to show their support for the climate and against the radical right. We waved our flags and handed out cards and stickers to participants and onlookers.
Most Germans were pleased to see us there and promised their help to look for Americans. A pop-up candy store owner exclaimed he would offer discounts to all US citizens and was more than happy to lay out our cards on his counter. One participant from Bochum made a video of me explaining that our website votefromabroad.org helps Americans living abroad navigate the voting process which he later posted on his popular Facebook page.
The highlight of the whole afternoon was baby Frieda, our youngest Democrat. She participated in her first demonstration at less than a month old. Needless to say, she slept through most of it. After the little one’s bedtime, the grown-ups rounded off the successful day with a well-deserved pizza and wine at the harbor.
