Neubauer sticks to the name "Fridays for Future"
Climate activist Luisa Neubauer sees no need for the German Fridays for Future movement to change its name following controversial statements by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on the Middle East conflict.
"Dropping the name would be symbolic politics at this point, and we are not very good at symbolic politics. Our priority lies in the clarity of our stance," Neubauer told Der Spiegel (Friday).
Thunberg has expressed solidarity with the Palestinians on several occasions. At a large climate protection demonstration in Amsterdam on Sunday, Thunberg once again took an offensive stance in support of the Palestinians. The German section of the Fridays for Future movement founded by Thunberg subsequently distanced itself clearly from her statements.
"We have given this movement its own identity - inspired by Greta, but autonomous and independent of her for years," said Neubauer. The climate activist criticized Thunberg's one-sidedness and emphasized the need to rethink international cooperation processes in order not to endanger the German movement. "The loss of trust is huge," said Neubauer.
Luisa Neubauer firmly believes that altering the name of the Fridays for Future movement due to Greta Thunberg's controversial remarks on the Middle East conflict would amount to symbolic politics, which the movement is not adept at. The environmental activist, Neubauer, highlights that the German Fridays for Future movement, although inspired by Thunberg, has developed its own identity and independence over the years.
Source: www.dpa.com
