Wednesday, August 17, 2011

We Love Rhino

The site of the Wagenburglers - they call themselves Kommando Rhino (Rhino Command) - was cleared alright on August 2.


What remains visible at the entrance to Vauban is a banner: We ♡ Rhino.


However, the problem with those who prefer to practice their alternative living in Freiburg persists. The city doesn't want to provide them a plot fearing that once they give it to Rhino, other people with more vehicles from outside Freiburg will move in. The Rhino Command, on the other hand, claims: The authorities cannot banish us. We will remain in Freiburg and in our mobile homes.


In fact, some moved to another plot in Vauban, on which they will be tolerated for another month. Four of the vehicles had eventually settled on private ground in the suburb of Zähringen. When at the owner's request, the police arrived, they first tried to confiscate the mobile homes, which was counterproductive, hindering the Rhinos from moving. Before, these Wagenburglers had stayed in individual private places, but the four had moved together again as otherwise, they claim they cannot practice their way of life. 

Although one Freiburg party official said, "Now it is finished," his party will vote against Rhino getting space on public grounds in Freiburg. Other city council members feel that the Wagenburgler question will remain on the agenda for a long time. They were correct; the same day I wrote this blog, the Wagenburglers opened a protest camp in front of the Rathaus (town hall) that the police soon cleared peacefully.

Wagenburglers' protest camp on Townhall Square. All pictures ©Badische Zeitung
Meanwhile, our local newspapers have figured out a lower limit of the costs for the police action on August 2, including the damage caused by the nightly riot as being 371,100 euros. These are peanuts compared to the costs of the not-so-long-ago riots in England.
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