German Chancellor calls on climate activists to end their hunger strike

Berlin, May 25 (IANS/DPA) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on the climate activists taking part in a hunger strike in Berlin to end it.”It is my greatest wish that the action be stopped,” Scholz said on Friday at the Democracy Festival in Berlin. “I think it is a mistake to use violence against others, but violence against oneself is also a mistake.”Scholz added: “Violence against oneself is not good for democracy. And that’s why I’m asking for this campaign to be cancelled.”Two participants in the “Starve until you are honest” campaign have since called off their hunger strike, while others are continuing despite the risks to their health.They are living in a camp near the Federal Economy Ministry in Berlin. According to their own statements, the climate activists want to persuade Scholz to make a government statement on the excessive concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the urgency of changing course.Scholz made it clear at the citizens’ dialogue at the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Germany’s constitution or Basic Law, that he attends similar events every week.People could ask him any question and he would answer them. “In a society where it is so easy to talk to the federal chancellor, you don’t have to go on a hunger strike to get that done.”–IANS/DPAint/sha