As many as 8,000 in Frankfurt airport protest to mark 1st anniversary of opening of 4th runway
On Sunday, a year after the opening of the 4th runway at Frankfurt airport, thousands protested peacefully against the increasing noise in the region. There may have been as many as 8,000 people there. On a bright autumn day they assembled by the fence next to the runway and showed their anger partly by making loud music. They are demanding planned construction of a new third airport terminal to be ceased. They are also demanding the closure of the 4th runway, and an extension of the ban on night flights from 22:00 and 06:00 in the morning. The government insist that the expansion of the airport provides opportunities for economic growth. However, they realise they have a real problem with aircraft noise and the extent of persistent citizen opposition. In the past week,three new measures had been adopted on noise, including an increase in the angle of approach and an increase in altitude. The protesters to not intend to give up their opposition. Great photos.
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There is also a short video clip – in English. And a good YouTube video in German.
A year on from the opening of the northwest runway at Frankfurt: Several hundred demonstrators hold vigil
21/10/2012 (Allgemeine Zeitung )
Original article in German at
http://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/nachrichten/politik/hessen/12525628.htm
Imperfect translation from the German below:
On Sunday, a year after the opening of the new runway at Frankfurt airport, thousands protested against the increasing noise in the region. On a bright autumn day they drove by shuttle bus from the terminal to the fence next to the runway and showed their anger with music, using drums and trumpets.
The organizers, a coalition of some 60 citizens’ groups spoke of 8,000 participants. They demanded to bury the construction of the planned third terminal. “Finally stop greed and megalomania,” shouted one speaker – addressed to the airport operator Fraport.
Vigil outside the departure terminal
Previously, several hundred protesters were demonstrating against the airport’s expansion at a vigil outside the departure terminal. The protest musician “Klaus violinist” from Cologne summarized the displeasure of noise opponents: “What can I say except that it’s shit.”
The road next to the runway lit up with yellow of the protest movement. Banners read: “Today is Black Sunday”, “Aircraft noise makes you sick” or “Dirty Landing”.
Guest speaker John Stewart, president of the European aircraft noise opponents (UECNA) stressed the solidarity of the airport noise-plagued residents in other regions. “You are not alone,” he said, pointing to successful protests against runways in Munich, London Heathrow and Sienna in Italy. “In none of these airports was an extension necessary.” If all plane journeys shorter than 500 km could be moved by rail, you can save 45% of the total air traffic in Europe.”
The number of participants shows that the protest are not diminishing, but go on, said an activist. “Fraport does not believe that there is a custom process or movement sleep,” said the spokesman of the organizers, Michael Wilk. [meaning people do not just get use to the noise, and cope with sleeping through it].
Protests do not stop
Since the opening of the new runway, exactly one year ago, the protests have been continuous. The citizens’ initiatives demonstrate every Monday in the departure hall of Terminal 1. They go there with whistles and horns through the terminal’s hall, and, there are rarely less than 1,000 demonstrators.
According to police, there were no incidents on Sunday. The street of the rally was closed to public traffic. The airport operator Fraport urged their passengers to plan for delays in arrival.
http://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/nachrichten/politik/hessen/12525628.htm
Photos of the protest:
http://twitter.yfrog.com/h0z10lmj
Runway anniversary. With violin and big band against aircraft noise
Several thousand people protested against the runway.
Exactly one year ago, that the Northwest runway at Frankfurt Airport went into operation. The protests against aircraft noise tear since coming: Several thousand people demonstrated on the anniversary of the airport.
For the first “birthday” of Runway Northwest were on Sunday afternoon, police said around 3,500 aircraft noise opponents pulled before the fence in Kelsterbach Forest. The organizers – a coalition of citizens’ groups from across the Rhine-Main area – said there were up to 8,000 participants.
With trumpets and drums, banners and flags to protest against the increase border noise in the region – this will experienced by the subject as physical and mental violence, said a spokesman for the Alliance. The health effects from noise and exhaust fumes were immeasurable.
Thousands noise opponents demonstrate
“Stop greed and megalomania”
“Fraport need not believe that there is a habituation process or movement sleep,” said Michael Wilk, the spokesman for the organizers and announced that would continue the so-called Monday demonstrations in one of the airport terminal. The demand of the aircraft noise opponents is clear: the extension of the ban on night flights from 22:00 and 06:00 in the morning and the closing of the new runway.
Also, set the demonstrators for a construction freeze on the third terminal of the airport. “Stop finally greed and megalomania,” shouted one speaker at Fraport addressed.
Heralded the actions were musical: The start was the protest musician “Klaus violinist” from Cologne. “What can I say, except that it’s crap,” concluded the musicians along the displeasure of the demonstrators. Also, a big band from Mainz, which has also suffered aircraft noise showed solidarity with the demonstrators.
At noon, the protests had begun a vigil in front of the departure hall of the airport. “Enough! Off! Basta!” was the motto under which around 60 were called citizens’ initiatives for the demonstration.
100,000 takeoffs and landings less
Another key demand of the protesters is a reduction in air traffic by 100,000 to 380,000 takeoffs and landings per year. Support there was on this point by the President of the European aircraft noise opponents, John Stewart. “You are not alone,” he said, pointing to successful protests against runways in Munich, London Heathrow and the Italian Sienna. If all the flights that are shorter than 500 km, would be shifted to rail, in any of these airports need an extension, said Stewart.
Police said the protests were peaceful, and a slip road to the airport had been closed. The airport operator Fraport had warned passengers in advance before the effects of the rally. Travelers should plan for delays in arrival, Fraport had recommended.
Government emphasizes growth opportunities
After decades of debate, the runway was opened on 21st October 2011. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), was the first person who had landed on the 2,800-meter runway. Thus, not only the protest of airport expansion opponent marks from the adjacent municipalities, for a year the leaders in politics and business have repeated how important the airport development is to the region.
For the black-yellow state government to restrict air traffic is not in question. Economy Minister Florian Rentsch (FDP) was rather ahead of Jubliäums defended the new runway and stresses the positive effect of the ban on night flights. “Thus, the state government found a balance between the interests of residents and those of aviation,” said Rentsch.
The CDU stressed that the expansion of the airport have a new growth opportunity. At the same time, the reduction of noise pollution remains a constant task, said the economic policy spokesman of the CDU, Walter Arnold. On Thursday, three new measures had been adopted on noise, including an increase in the angle of approach and an increase in altitude.
Greens and the Left support protests
The opposition in parliament renewed its criticism of the state government. Even after a year, they have not taken effective measures against noise, the Greens declared in advance that plan to a report of the “Frankfurter Rundschau”, according to a further attempt to have the fourth runway at the airport closed. The party will therefore examine whether “public order” is threatened by aircraft noise.
The Social Democrats also accused the state government for mainly acting too late and not adequately.
Original German at:
Landebahn-Jubiläum
Mit Geige und Bigband gegen Fluglärm
Genau ein Jahr ist es her, dass die Nordwestlandebahn am Frankfurter Flughafen in Betrieb ging. Die Proteste gegen Fluglärm reißen seitdem nicht ab: Mehrere Tausend Menschen haben zum Jubiläum am Flughafen demonstriert.
Zum ersten “Geburtstag” der Landebahn Nordwest waren am Sonntagmittag nach Polizeiangaben rund 3.500 Fluglärmgegner vor den Zaun im Kelsterbacher Wald gezogen. Die Veranstalter – ein Bündnis von Bürgerinitiativen aus dem gesamten Rhein-Main-Gebiet – sprachen dagegen von bis zu 8.000 Teilnehmern.Mit Pauken und Trompeten, Transparenten und Fahnen protestierten sie gegen den zunehmenenden Fluglärm in der Region – dieser werde von den Betroffenen als physische und seelische Gewalt erlebt, sagte ein Sprecher des Bündnisses. Die gesundheitlichen Schäden durch Lärm und Abgase seien unermesslich.
“Fraport braucht nicht zu glauben, dass es einen Gewöhnungsprozess gibt oder die Bewegung einschläft”, sagte Michael Wilk, der Sprecher der Veranstalter und kündigte an, die sogenannten Montagsdemonstrationen im Terminal eins des Flughafens würden weitergehen. Die Forderung der Fluglärmgegner ist klar umrissen: die Ausweitung des Nachtflugverbots auf die Zeit zwischen 22 und sechs Uhr morgens und die Schließung der neuen Landebahn.Außerdem setzen sich die Demonstranten für einen Baustopp am dritten Terminal des Flughafens ein. “Stoppen Sie endlich Gier und Größenwahn”, rief ein Redner an Fraport adressiert.Eingeläutet wurden die Aktionen musikalisch: Den Auftakt machte der Protestmusiker “Klaus der Geiger” aus Köln. “Was soll man sagen, außer dass es Scheiße ist”, fasste der Musiker den Unmut der Demonstranten zusammen. Auch eine Bigband aus Mainz, das ebenfalls unter gestiegenem Fluglärm zu leiden hat, zeigte Solidarität mit den Demonstranten.
Am Mittag hatten die Proteste mit einer Mahnwache vor der Abflughalle des Flughafens begonnen. “Schluss! Aus! Basta!” lautete das Motto, unter dem rund 60 Bürgerinitiativen zu der Demonstration aufgerufen hatten.
hr-online schaut auf die Diskussion um die Nordwestbahn des Frankfurter Flughafens.
Nach jahrzehntelangen Debatten wurde die Landebahn am 21. Oktober 2011 in Betrieb genommen. Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) war die Erste, die auf der 2.800 Meter langen Landebahn Nordwest gelandet war. Damit jährt sich nicht nur der Protest der Flughafenausbaugegner aus den angrenzenden Kommunen, seit einem Jahr wiederholen die Verantwortlichen aus Politik und Wirtschaft, wie wichtig der Ausbau für die Region war.Für die schwarz-gelbe Landesregierung kommt eine Einschränkung des Flugverkehrs keinesfalls in Frage. Wirtschaftsminister Florian Rentsch (FDP) hatte vielmehr im Vorfeld des Jubliäums die neue Landebahn verteidigt und die positive Wirkung des Nachtflugverbots betont. “Damit hat die Landesregierung einen Ausgleich zwischen den Interessen der Anwohner und denen der Luftfahrt gefunden”, erklärte Rentsch.Die CDU hob hervor, dass der Ausbau des Flughafens neue Wachstumschancen eröffnet habe. Gleichzeitig bleibe die Reduzierung der Lärmbelastung eine beständige Aufgabe, sagte der wirtschaftspolitische Sprecher der CDU-Fraktion, Walter Arnold. Erst am Donnerstag waren drei neue Maßnahmen zum Lärmschutz umgesetzt worden, darunter eine Anhebung des Anflugwinkels und eine Erhöhung der Flughöhe.
Die Opposition im Landtag erneuerte ihre Kritik an der Landesregierung. Auch nach einem Jahr habe sie keine wirksamen Maßnahmen gegen Lärm ergriffen, erklärten die Grünen im Vorfeld, die einem Bericht der “Frankfurter Rundschau” zufolge einen weiteren Anlauf planen, die vierte Piste am Flughafen schließen zu lassen. Die Partei will demnach prüfen lassen, ob die “öffentliche Sicherheit und Ordnung” durch Fluglärm gefährdet ist.Auch die Sozialdemokraten warfen der Landesregierung vor, zu spät und vor allem nicht ausreichend gehandelt zu haben.http://www.hr-online.de/website/rubriken/nachrichten/index.jsp?rubrik=71831&key=standard_document_46420497