Looking back at how climate activists adapted to the challenges of protesting during a pandemic in 2020, Johara Meyer reflects on some events that have kept the protest alive in her hometown.
Figure 1 . Fridays For Future activists in high visibility vests lay out posters in front of the German parliament
Ever-rising temperature records, devastating wildfires, and government passivity on
emission targets had galvanised people into action in 2019. Around this time last year, it
seemed like 2020 would be no different; protests and campaigns would continue to draw
millions to the streets in the fight against the climate crisis. In my hometown of Berlin,
Fridays for Future was getting ready for the “Global Climate Strike” set to take place on the
24 of April and expected to draw a crowd of over 100.000 people. However, as the COVID-
19 pandemic swept the planet, these plans were brought to an abrupt halt - activism in its
old form could not go forward.
Figure 2 . With signs, placards, and chants 60.000 protesters march through Berlins city centre November 29th, 2019.
Figure 3 . Students carry a banner saying "Future is a Human Right"; during the march in Berlin November 29th, 2019.
Figure 4. An Extinction Rebellion protestor at Trafalgar Square October 12th, 2019
Nevertheless, the issues being protested could not be put on hold. The pandemic forced
Movements like Fridays For Future and groups like Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion to
change tactics and find other ways to get their voices heard. Especially in the early stages of
the pandemic, this meant primarily going digital - engaging in social media activism,
organising live streams with prominent speakers like Greta Thunberg, and webinars with
artists and scientists. Where the government loosened restrictions on gathering in public
spaces, some spatially distanced in-person events were able to take place. For instance,
strips of tape were used to form a human chain while keeping people at a distance and
marks were drawn on the street to allow people to participate in sit-ins.
Figure 5. FFF activists among the 20.000 people that formed a human-chain against injustice in Berlin June 14th, 2020
Figure 6. Protesters kept at a distance with the help of 1.5m long tape strips June 14th, 2020
In other instances, protesters managed to bring their message to the street without going out at all. The German branch of the FFF movement, for example, organised a digital strike “Netzstreik” to which 87.000 people signed up and called on protesters to submit posters and banners to pick-up stations in their local area. On the day of the strike, a handful of activists covered the lawn in front of the German Bundestag with 10.000 of these signs - illustrating that activists are present, even if they cannot be there in person.
Figure 7. As part of the 5th Worldwide Climate Strike activist in Berlin created a display of posters around the central slogan "Fight every crisis" April 24th, 2020.
Figure 8. Among the few laying out posters is prominent German activist and former UCL student Luisa Neubauer.
Figure 9. “Act now”, “#FFF still not dead” - the messages from activists at home
Figure 10. Thousands of posters covered the grass in front of the Reichstag building.
With the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine having begun in many places, it seems the pandemic, as a health threat, is in decline. Of course, the economic, social, and psychological impacts will take far longer to understand and rectify. And while the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly the crisis of today, the climate crisis is already on the horizon, and the damage it causes to the habitability of our planet and its ecosystems will be felt indefinitely. If we are to avoid the worst of it, climate movements will need to continue finding ways to adapt and excerpt political pressure.
All photography by Johara Meyer.
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