How far can protest go?

Claus Hochrein is the seriousness of the situation in the face. « These are terrorists, not activists, » says the chairman of the Agriculture Association Bavarian (LSV) in the cell phone video. A few hours earlier, Bavaria’s peasant president Günther Felßner announced that he was not Federal Agriculture Minister for the CSU wants to become – and this with one « Raid » of the activists of « Animal Rebellion » based on his farm. In front of the farmers’ association center in Munich Felßner stepped in front of the cameras on Tuesday and announced: « I am not ready to jeopardize my family’s security or to jeopardize the farm and its animals through break -ins. »

With Felßner, Hochrein organized the peasant protests last year. Together they were on stage in Munich, Nuremberg and Berlin. He called Felßner on Tuesday. Hochrein, the one in a circle Würzburg A cattle breeding operates, says: « We must not let these people dictate how we have to live and business. »

Members of « Animal Rebellion » had previously risen to the roof of Felßner’s stable in the Nuremberg region And attached a banner with the lettering: « No animal exploitor as an agricultural minister ». Bengalos are said to have been ignited. Felßner’s wife and an employee was in the stable. Felßner, who was there in Berlin, assured: « My wife not only saw herself threatened, she was afraid of life and life. »

Many farmers see a red line exceeded

The dismay is great for the farmers. Not only because many great hopes had a specialist in the agricultural minister with Felßner – while the personnel had also triggered a lot of criticism. Above all, the farmers now see a red line exceeded. In animal owners in particular, the fear is that activists are unauthorized, explains Schwaben’s farmers’ president Stephan Bissinger. The fact that the activists at Felßner appeared at home, that he was defamed as a « animal exploitor », « this is a dam break ».

So how far can protest go? Politicians have repeatedly been attacked in recent months, especially Greens politicians had become the target object. Than one in February 2024 Event of the Greens in the Upper Franconian Hirschaid, Subject CSU Prime Minister Markus Söder to the Greens « a certain mimosic nature ». In the Felßner case, he spoke of a « brutal attack on a single person » and called for a special determination. During the peasant protests, there had been riots, and there were always gallows. LSV representative Hochrein says: « These were registered and approved protests in public space. If you penetrate a private ground, a border is exceeded. »

This is how Holger Grießhammer, SPD parliamentary group leader in the state parliament. Green politician Katharina Schulze emphasizes: « Protests are legitimate in a democracy, but violence or intimidation must never be the means of choice-whether on a ferry or on a farm. » In January 2024, 250 angry farmers Greens politician Robert Habeck and his family prevented him from leaving a ferry. The public prosecutor spoke of suspicion of coercion and breach of the peace, a year later the authority largely hired the procedure. Felßner himself said that the actions on his farm had a « different quality ». In his case, the state security has now taken over the investigation. The focus is on 13 people.

With « Animal Rebellion » it says: « Our protest was peaceful. » Felßner’s statement that he had withdrawn from fear for his family are considered « advanced ». The fact that a protest in the workplace of a pet owner would violate this in his privacy, it is decidedly rejected.

Holetschek speaks of a « no-go »

For CSU parliamentary group leader Klaus Holetschek, the fact that the activists had referred to their intimidation attempts as a peaceful protest on a private reason. What happened on Felßner’s farm, « This is a no-go, » he says at the parliamentary group meeting, to which Felßner is invited. The police and judiciary are now on the train. « We expect this to have consequences. » The police are investigating suspicion of trespassing. The personal details of twelve activists were recorded. « It was an attack of radicals, you can’t call it otherwise, » said Felßner on Wednesday. However, he did not want to put up with a life under police protection for his family: « It cannot be that you have to live as a farmer in Fort Knox just to be able to pursue your work. »

An insider in the animal welfare scene cannot understand the excitement. The activity of the activists is nothing more than an action of civil disobedience. « The fact that Felßner tries to absorb this as an ecoterrorism is unspeakable. Someone who exposes himself as a mandate carrier must also be able to endure. »