Nuclear Protest: Human Chain Planned

Munich. Nuclear power protesters want to cause a nationwide stir up with a spectacular kilometre long human chain. On the 9th of October the human chain will run through all of the city.

The organisers hope the protest chain will reach from the CSU headquarters to the power plant owner, Eon, up to the Landesbank, Siemens and the ministry of economics.

The event will be the second biggest demonstration of the german Anti-nuclear power initiative besides the protests in Berlin on the 18th of September. Behind it are nuclear power opponents, environmental activists, the SPD, the Greens, free voters as well as à–DP and Linke. The idea is to "knot a symbolic band for renewable energies", says a spokesman. Which will make it clear that the "energy turning point is available immediately".

The organisers want to put pressure on the federal government with the human chain to not seal the nuclear agreement between the Union and the FDP. The government plans to extend the life span of the 17 reactors in Germany by approxiamately 12 years. Older models like the Isar 1 are hoped to run for another 8 years. The opposition opposes vehemently.

"We want to send a very distinctive sign in the capital Munich", states SPD secretary general Natascha Kohnen: "this will be a huge event."  Financial and logistical support comes from an alliance of parties which already supported the non-smoking ban, the SPD gives an office for the planning. 3000 people are needed to close the human chain, but in private it is hoped that a lot more will attend.

Major traffic obstructions are expected on Saturday between 1 and 4 o'clock. Afterwards all of the demonstrators plan to meet up at the Wittelsbacher Platz at the headquarters of Siemens. Prominent speakers and musicians have been searched for hastily. The mayor Christian Ude was asked to attend and the band "LaBrassBanda" has been confirmed.