Construction halt at the A21 construction site – climate activists campaigned for a construction halt and better public transport.
Today, March 10, 2025, the expansion of the B404 federal highway into the A21 motorway in Kirchbarkau near Kiel was temporarily halted. Activists from the TurboKlimaKampfGruppe (TKKG) mounted a wheel loader, an excavator, and a tractor and abseiled from a bridge above the construction site. They displayed several banners, including the inscription „Public transport for everyone and free.“ Construction work could only resume after a significant delay.
„Our blockade stood for almost five hours. Many people saw us on their way to work from the B404 or the bridge. We showed here today that this and every other highway is incompatible with our vision of a just future. Building highways today is simply no longer appropriate,“ Phili said after the action.
The blockade began in the early morning hours and lasted until 9:15 a.m. After repeated requests to leave the construction site, which the group refused to comply with, police and volunteer firefighters began clearing the area. During the clearing operations, emergency services briefly closed the B404 at 9:30 a.m.
„The evacuation by the volunteer fire department took us by surprise. We weren’t in an emergency situation and didn’t need to be rescued. Nevertheless, there were around 30 firefighters there. Why? We felt it was unnecessary to pool the forces of so many people. That wasn’t our intention,“ Smilla remarked after the evacuation from the ropes. She added: „The closure of the B404 was due to the excessive evacuation force. Our goal was to paralyze the construction site.“
The activists were subsequently taken to police stations in Kiel (Blumenstraße) and Plön and fingerprinted. Charges of trespassing and coercion are pending. Around 12:00 p.m., the activists were released in Kiel. A good hour and a half later, the activists detained in Plön were also released. The action groups were greeted by a vigil in solidarity.
Jenny, tired after the event but still confident, said: „Hopefully, with this event, we were able to raise awareness of environmental and climate justice. But mobility for all requires everyone! On Sunday, March 16, the Green Belt Alliance will hold a bike demonstration. It starts at 2:00 p.m. at Kiel Central Station. We look forward to seeing many people come together to stand up for a real transport revolution!“
