Controversy over street blockades by climate activists
In Germany, Last Generation climate activists are out en masse, blocking roads in and around Berlin. On Monday alone, activists glued themselves to the tarmac in more than 40 blockades. Similar protests have been taking place all across Europe for months, with the aim of stressing the urgency of the climate crisis.
Wrong place for a good cause
The Last Generation is hurting its own interests by blocking the streets, Der Standard argues:
“A good cause is being increasingly brought into disrepute by going about it the wrong way. For many people now, climate action is solely associated with 'troublemakers' who only make our already difficult daily lives harder. If the superglue activists really want to shake up the politicians to do more for the climate, then they have go about it differently. Gluing themselves in front of the Chancellery for example. Or even better, in front of the FDP headquarters. Because what they are doing now is counterproductive. It turns the public against them and does nothing to protect the planet.”
Time to get tough on eco-loons
The Sun takes a no-holes-barred approach on climate activism:
“A mood of deepening anarchy now hangs over the British state, unchallenged by the enfeebled authorities. ... Last week it was an attack on the World Snooker Championships by eco-loons from Just Stop Oil, and before that the infiltration of the Grand National by attention-seeking Animal Rebellion demonstrators. ... On Monday, traffic in London's West End was brought to a halt by green trouble-makers ... This should be a moment for ministers to get tough with the extremists, who have no mandate from the people to promote disorder. If more of them felt the long arm of the law, most decent citizens would cheer.”
Protests only making the crisis worse
The street blockades and the warning strikes from the unions are only making the deep-seated problems with Germany's infrastructure worse, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung observes:
“Both actions - which took place almost simultaneously and were directed at individual and public transport - took place in an already precarious transport situation in Germany. Deutsche Bahn is permanently struggling to maintain even a half-way reliable service. The motorways have essentially become traffic-jam traps because of long-term construction sites where, however, not that much construction goes on. Rural public transport is a joke. And lots of cities are now pursuing a decidedly anti-car policy.”
They might be right, but ...
Weekendavisen points to an essay by sociologist Musa al-Gharbi who, after reading 100 studies on quality of life, concludes that conservative people with traditional family values and strong ties to religion and their homeland are happier than those with left-wing sensibilities:
“The many studies on quality of life are not necessarily telling us that left-leaning people are wrong about reality. Perhaps the world is fundamentally unfair and perhaps it is morally right to get involved in extreme movements. But the studies also show that a conservative attitude to life leads to more satisfaction and a greater sense of purpose. An important message in a time of epidemic levels of dissatisfaction.”