Farmers prevent Germany's vice chancellor leaving a ferry in a protest that draws condemnation
A group of farmers prevented Germany’s vice chancellor from disembarking a ferry hours after the government partially climbed down on cost-saving plans that had infuriated the agricultural sector
BERLIN — A group of farmers prevented Germany's vice chancellor from disembarking a ferry, hours after the government partially climbed down on cost-saving plans that had infuriated the agricultural sector. The protest drew condemnation from both government and opposition figures.
Farmers headed to a jetty in Schluettsiel on the North Sea coast Thursday afternoon ahead of the arrival of the ferry carrying Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck following calls on social media for a protest, police said Friday. Habeck had been on a personal trip to the small island of Hooge.
Between 250 and 300 people gathered to demonstrate. Police said it wasn't possible to arrange a dialogue between Habeck and organizers in the tense situation, so the ferry departed again. Up to 30 demonstrators tried to board the vessel, but were held back by police using pepper spray.
Habeck, a member of the environmentalist Green party who is also economy and climate minister, was able to reach the mainland during the night.
Chancellor OIaf Scholz's unpopular government angered farmers in December by announcing plans to cut agricultural subsidies as part of a package to fill a 17-billion-euro ($18.6-billion) hole in the 2024 budget. Farmers staged a protest with tractors in Berlin and called for more demonstrations next week.
On Thursday, the government announced a partial about-turn. It said it would retain an exemption from car tax for farming vehicles and would stagger planned reductions in tax breaks for diesel used in agriculture.
The German Farmers Association
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