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Fringe group riot in Munich: Rebellion for inclusion and self-determination!
On July 12, 2025, the “Fringe Group Riot” event will take place at Marienplatz in Munich, which promotes inclusion and accessibility. Organizer Patricia Koller calls for self-determined living and criticizes social obstacles for people with disabilities.
Fringe group riot in Munich: Rebellion for inclusion and self-determination!
On Saturday afternoon, Marienplatz in Munich was transformed into a stage of self-determination and resistance. “Fringe group riot” – that was the motto of this event, which brought together several hundred people and was organized by a committed group that brings the rights of people with disabilities to the fore. Patricia Koller, the organizer, didn't do anything by halves. She fought her way to the stage with her electric wheelchair and spoke up: “We don’t want pity, we don’t want to ask anymore, we are rebellion!” she shouted into the microphone, expressing her discomfort with the current social and political conditions.
The event, which provided musical entertainment with a drum group and DJ GeorgiaG, also offered space for personal reports from those affected. In her speech, Koller reiterated the central themes: self-determined living, participation and accessibility. Their criticism was directed not only at social barriers, but also at the government and the planned cuts in services for people with disabilities. Many participants viewed these cuts as a step backwards in equal participation.
Legal framework
A key moment of the event was the call for the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), which was passed in 2006 and whose goals could be described as overdue. This is an important international document that guarantees guaranteed rights to around 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide, including access to education and a barrier-free society. Germany signed the convention on March 30, 2007 and it came into force in this country on March 26, 2009. This initiated a clear paradigm shift in disability policy - away from a deficient medical understanding towards a human rights approach that particularly aims to realize human rights for people with disabilities.
The federal government has also launched a national action plan to ensure equal opportunities in education and work and to enable self-determined participation. The associated Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was established to regularly review compliance with the agreement. But as recent events have already shown, there is still plenty of room for improvement in implementation, so the demands of Patricia Koller and Katrin Langensiepen, current members of the European Parliament for the Greens, are only too understandable.
An appeal for equal opportunities
Essentially, it is about people with disabilities being recognized as bearers of human rights. The state has an obligation to respect, guarantee and protect these rights. The central question remains: Are we as a society prepared to take the necessary steps to create a truly inclusive society? There is still a lot of work ahead of us. The UN CRPD and its implementation must not only become a matter of course in law, but also in society as a whole.
Where it actually goes remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the voices of people with disabilities will no longer be ignored.
For further information on the UN CRPD and its influence on disability policy in Germany, see the reports from South German newspaper, BMAS and Institute for Human Rights.