Protests against IAA: Activists demand immediate traffic turnaround!

Protests against IAA: Activists demand immediate traffic turnaround!

On Tuesday morning, Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened the International Motor Show (IAA) 2025 in Munich, which is considered the largest car and mobility trade fair in Europe. But the splendor of the event is overshadowed by protests. Activists from the Attac group carried out an impressive protest action directly in front of the exhibition hall, during which they sank a car made of cardboard with a dinosaur head in the exhibition lake. The symbol is intended to make it clear that the auto industry will collapse if it does not change sustainably. “Bus and train instead of car madness” was the clear motto, which they held up with a banner. Strangely enough, these actions were hardly noticed by the many trade fair visitors, perhaps because the group had positioned itself on the west side of the trade fair lake, like that South Germans reported.

The group Extinction Rebellion was only active later in the day. They jumped into the mess lake and played dead while other members unfurled a banner and lit smoke flares. It seems that the mood around the IAA is charged by the protests. Activists also blocked traffic at the Donnersberger Bridge in the morning. Six people stuck to the roadway on Landshuter Allee, which led to a closure that lasted around two hours. While the police requested the desired task force, two people who were chained using conventional means simply had to be released, while a third activist even required the use of a flex with special adhesive.

Protest and mobility transition

The IAA 2025 is not only a showcase for the automotive industry, but also an occasion for discussion about sustainable mobility and the necessary changes in transport policy. Noa Neumann, spokesperson for climate justice at Attac, made it clear that the IAA is viewed critically as a symbol of the all-powerful automobile industry and its fossil fuel policy structures. In addition, Attac calls for effective alternatives to private motorized transport and emphasizes the need for better use of public spaces for green spaces. The question raised by the conference grid is what sustainable mobility - for example through citizen buses - could look like in rural areas.

Neumann speaks out clearly against the greenwashing of electric cars. Finally, according to the experience of taz.de harmful to the environment and the existing problem should not be ignored. The Mobility Transition Camp, which serves as a networking meeting for various groups, offers workshops and panels to discuss the topic more broadly. Reactions from the population vary: some supporters are interested, while others remain skeptical. Agitations like the one on Maximilianstrasse on Sunday evening, when activists unrolled a mobile zebra crossing, could create more visibility for the protest movement's goals. This measure was only noticed later by the police, but met with little resistance.

Climate goals and transport transition

It is clear that something urgently needs to be done in the transport sector in order to achieve the climate goals. Current data shows that 165 million tons of CO2 were emitted from traffic in Germany in 2019, which was almost at the level of 1990. This is because almost 96% of emissions-related greenhouse gases come from road transport, with private motorized transport accounting for a remarkable 75% of passenger kilometers. Loud bpb.de Emissions must be reduced to 85 million tons of CO2 by 2030, i.e. almost halved in a decade.

The discussion about the transport transition is therefore more topical than ever. While electromobility is seen as part of the solution, the analysis highlights the need for a fundamental transformation of the transport system. The use of renewable energy will not be unnecessary for reducing emissions from electric vehicles, but it is essential. Despite all efforts in the area of ​​sustainable mobility, transport policy in Germany remains heavily focused on cars and trucks and promotes existing structures that hinder a real change.

The coming days will show how the protests develop and whether the dialogue about sustainable, fair mobility will be continued. A rethink in the automotive industry and the entire transport policy is essential if we want to shape the future and meet the challenges of climate change.