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Fridays for Future Targets German Gas Expansion With Nationwide Protests

The actions spotlight anger at Economy Minister Katherina Reiche over proposals to support new gas plants.

Overview

  • Fridays for Future held a nationwide action day Friday across roughly 60 to 65 locations, bringing protests to CDU and SPD offices and to town halls.
  • Activists singled out Katherina Reiche, unfurling a 14‑meter “bill” of her decisions, handing out red cards with her image, and delivering the #WegVomGas petition with more than 118,000 signatures.
  • Crowd estimates diverged, with police in major cities reporting only hundreds — about 350 at Berlin’s CDU headquarters — while organizers claimed around 900 to 1,000 there and tens of thousands nationwide.
  • Police described the events as peaceful, though some cities saw knock‑on effects, including Dresden, where the tram operator rerouted lines during the march.
  • The protests pressed a live policy fight, with Reiche’s gas‑plant plans still under review, supporters calling the plants a backup for wind and solar, and critics — including Vice‑Chancellor Lars Klingbeil — warning against slowing the energy transition.