Thousands of people across Germany took part in the peace movement’s Easter marches on Holy Saturday. Protesters with flags and banners gathered in cities such as Hanover, Munich, Duisburg, Stuttgart, Leipzig and Berlin. The demonstrations were aimed at, among other things, the Russian war in Ukraine and the planned expenditure of billions for the German armed forces.
“Our demands for peace and disarmament are more timely than ever, also in light of the threat of a possible nuclear escalation,” said Kristian Golla of the Peace Cooperation Network. He said some 80 protests had been announced for Saturday, including in smaller towns. According to police estimates, about 1,200 people gathered in Bremen and Berlin and more than 500 protesters in Hanover. Hundreds of protesters also took part in the kick-off for the three-day Rhine-Ruhr Easter March in Duisburg and Cologne.
For example, posters and banners say “No to war”, “Stop the gun mania”, “Negotiate instead of risking World War III”, and “Whoever supplies weapons will reap the war”. In Berlin, a large peace dove was mounted on a car roof. Some posters were directed against federal government plans to provide $100 billion for major defense policy projects.
According to Habeck, pacifism is currently “a distant dream”
Some of the demands of the peace movement this time led to discussions beforehand. The motto “creating peace without weapons” is currently an arrogance towards the people of Ukraine, former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse (SPD) told Bavarian radio. “Pacifism at the expense of others is cynical.”
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) told the papers of the Funke media group that pacifism is “a distant dream” at the moment. Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken all rules of international law. If the idea of the Easter marches is peace, one must be clear: “Peace can and will only exist if Putin stops his war of aggression.” It is clear “who is the aggressor in this war and who is defending in great need and who we are, we must support – also with weapons,” Habeck said.
“Think carefully about who you go out with”
The researcher Claudia Baumgart-Ochse spoke out on rbb-Inforadio for a differentiated view of the peace movement. The impulse to demonstrate for peace is a good thing in the first place, says Baumgart-Ochse of the Leibniz Institute Hessian Foundation for Peace and Conflict Research. However, she advised you to think carefully about who you are going out with, who is organizing it and what the reasons are for the protest. In some conversations she has the impression that Russian propaganda shines through.
“Alternative Easter March” in Berlin
Parallel to the traditional Easter march, a second demonstration took place in Berlin. Ukrainian flags were used on the Bebelplatz to demonstrate against the Russian war of aggression. In an appeal, the campaign was described as an “alternative Easter march”. It was criticized that the peace movement’s call for the traditional Easter march failed to mention Russian aggression and the right to self-defense. The protesters called on posters for “Heavy weapons now!”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
