Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – wake-up call or sleepy protest? A handful of activists attracted the attention of Stuttgart’s mayor for construction and the environment, Peter Pätzold, with a rather unusual action. On Monday morning they gained access to Pätzold’s office with sleeping bags and banners (“Wake up!”), lay down on the ground in front of the mayor and pretended to be asleep for a short time.
The activists belong to the action alliance against Stuttgart 21 – and demonstrated against what they see as the climate-damaging effect of the railway project. “The development of the current track apron with a new district, pursued doggedly by Pätzold, limits the cooling at night and slows down the outflow of hot air towards the Neckar,” said the alliance. “No matter how green and car-free the development may be, it will continue to heat up the city in the summer.”
A spokesman for the city of Stuttgart confirmed the action – but he did not speak of an occupation like the activists, but of a “chat without registration”. It was a relaxed conversation, the mayor was able to provide a lot of information about the city’s activities in climate protection and thus contribute to enlightening the activists.
