Action on holiday island - Punk-Protestcamp 3.0 has started on Sylt
Under sunshine and strong wind gusts, the roughly six-week long Punk protest camp of the group "Aktion Sylt" started on Sylt. According to a protest camp registrant and spokesperson, Marvin Bederke (24) of the German Press Agency, there will likely be several hundred people participating in the action at the same time in the camp.
The protest camp on the vacation island has already entered its third round. It all began with the Nine-Euro-Ticket in the North Sea island in summer 2022. In social media debates about the ticket, Sylt was also frequently discussed. Calls from left-wing groups on the internet to "evacuate" the island sparked a response.
At the start of the new edition, around 30 small tents were set up on the meadow near the airport in Tinnum on Monday. Under the motto "Protest camp for solidarity - climate justice and inclusive in a common future without gentrification," the participants aim to work together "for a better tomorrow."
"The main theme is gentrification on Sylt - rich people are moving here, the island is being gentrified, and others can no longer afford to live here," said co-organizer Jonas Hötger (24), who also comes from Frankfurt. Climate protection and climate change are also in focus at the camp. A demonstration is reportedly planned every week.
The gathering - with participants from all over Germany - has developed into a kind of Mini-festival for Punks, where they plan to criticize capitalism on the island of the Rich and Beautiful this year as well. Planned are readings, workshops, and art actions, as stated on the Instagram page of "Aktion Sylt."
Through crowdfunding, Bederke and his colleagues are collecting money this year for food, clean toilets, garbage collection, and a stage. Around 560 Euros had been donated by Monday morning.
The Sylt community office is monitoring the situation
"We assume that the protest camp will proceed peacefully. The talks between the Sylt police, the Nordfriesland district, and our community office have been and are running constructively," Florian Korte, spokesperson for the Sylt community, told the dpa. The community office will, as in previous years, monitor compliance with the regulations.
The theme for this year is also the racism scandals in the noble town of Kampen, said Mikki from Stuttgart, who is also part of the organizing team. Together with other Punks, the 23-year-old had already protested early in June on Sylt, after a video of a party at a local bar on Sylt caused nationwide outrage. In the video, guests were seen shouting racist slogans during the song "L’amour toujours."
The responsible meeting leader will be present during the entire event to ensure orderly conduct, said Hans-Martin Slopianka, spokesperson for the Nordfriesland district. The maximum 300 participants may initially set up their tents on a meadow in the industrial area near the airport in Tinnum and stay there until July 28. According to Slopianka, they can then move to the so-called protest camp site, the actual protest camp location. The reason for the move is that a fire department festival is scheduled to take place there beforehand.
Until the 6th of September, participants are required to have everything disassembled and cleaned up. Among the regulations, participants are responsible for providing first aid, setting up chemical toilets, and carrying white armbands or warning vests in the camp. Fires are not allowed to be lit on the meadow. Posters that violate the liberal-democratic basic order are prohibited. According to previous statements by the district, the protest camp on Sylt is registered from the 22nd of July to the 1st of September.
The Anarchist Pogo Party Germany (APPD) recently announced "Chaostage" on Instagram from the 24th of July to the 13th of August on the North Sea island. It was unclear whether the members of the Berlin branch of the APPD would occupy the already registered "Aktion Sylt" camp, or start a new registration. A corresponding registration for a separate action is not available according to the district, as of yet.
- The Rebels of "Aktion Sylt" initiated the third round of their 'protest camp' on the vacation island of Sylt, aiming to combat gentrification and promote climate justice.
- According to Marvin Bederke of the German Press Agency, who is registered and serves as a spokesperson for the 'protest camp', numerous individuals are expected to participate.
- The 'demonstration' planned at the 'protest camp' is set to criticize capitalism on the affluent island known as the 'Rich and Beautiful'.
- Co-organizer Jonas Hötger, originally from Frankfurt, highlighted the main theme as gentrification, with wealthy individuals moving to Sylt and pushing out locals.
- The 'protest camp' has transformed into a mini-'festival' for Punks, featuring readings, workshops, and art actions in their fight against capitalism.
- Bederke and his team utilize crowdfunding to finance necessities such as food, clean toilets, garbage collection, and a stage for the 'protest camp'.
- The 'order office' oversees compliance with regulations during the 'protest camp', ensuring peace and adherence to liberal-democratic principles.
- Mikki from Stuttgart, part of the organizing team, focus on racism scandals in Kampen, as a response to a video of racist slogans during a local bar's song performance.
- The Nordfriesland district set a maximum of 300 participants and a move to the protest camp site by July 28, due to an upcoming festival in the area.
- The Anarchist Pogo Party Germany (APPD) announced 'Chaostage' on Instagram from July 24 to August 13, hinting at possible overlapping actions or a separate registration, but the district is yet to confirm.
