Into the Scrap Press

Last Saturday, 400 people demonstrated in Freiburg in favor of the Wagenburglers, i.e., those who like to live in vehicles instead of apartments. As you know by now, they are always looking for space to park their rust buckets within the city boundaries. Red Baron had previously reported about the guerilla war between the Wagenszene (vehicular scene) and the city authorities.

For the vehicles the police confiscated in March, the retention time of six months is running out on October 13, when the city will send those to the scrap press. So members of the group Sand im Getriebe (Sand in the Transmission) marched through the streets shouting Für die Freiheit, für das Leben, Wagenplätze muss es geben (For freedom and living, space for vehicles must be provided) and showing a banner Autoritäre Stadtpolitik in die Schrottpresse! Sand im Getriebe bleiben! (Put the city's authoritarian policy into the scrap press! Sand in the Transmission will remain!).

©Der Sonntag

The fact is that all parties in Freiburg's city council pay lip service to support the living style of the Wagenburglers. Still, when it came to a commitment in the past, the city council offered a mere 400 square meters to Sand im Getriebe, a surface the latter claimed was too small to park their 20 vehicles.

The feud continues with the authorities being amazed, for they counted only 10 vehicles, whereas, in the previous round-table discussions, the participants had even considered 15.

The space problem will possibly be put off until later, for the left-leaning parties in Freiburg's city council have asked Mayor Salomon to postpone the scrapping of the confiscated vehicles by one month. Shall I keep you informed about the development?

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