In Pics | Berlin brought to near standstill as tractors converge for farmers' protest

Thousands of angry farmers descended on the German capital city of Berlin with their tractors on Monday (Jan 15) prompting the country's Finance Minister Christian Lindner to take the stage, telling the crowd of jeering farmers protesting against tax rises and told them there was no money for further subsidies.

Berlin has been brought to a near standstill by the demonstration with more than 5,000 tractors blocking the streets and honking their horns by mid-morning, a police spokeswoman told AFP, adding that this was a provisional estimate.

The farmers' protest which is said to have filled one of Berlin's central avenues with trucks and tractors as some 10,000 farmers caps a week of demonstrations against taxes that have become a flashpoint for anti-government anger.

The protests began last week over the German government's plan to axe certain tax breaks for agriculture after a court ruling that forced them to find savings in the 2024 budget.

The protests have heaped pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government as it struggles to fix budget disarray and contain right-wing groups.

Image shows German farmers lining up their tractors at the Strasse des 17. Juni in front of the Brandenburg Gate ahead of a large protest against the so-called German Ampel coalition government, in Berlin, Germany, January 14, 2024.

Amid backlash, Scholz's government has backtracked from some of its cuts including promising to reinstate a discount on vehicle tax and to phase out a diesel subsidy over several years instead of immediately.

However, the farmers who have mostly been backed by the opposition conservatives and the far-right, say that is not enough and called for Berlin to completely reverse the plans.

The German government had announced plans to cut subsidies and tax breaks on diesel and agricultural vehicles after a court ruling tore a multi-billion-euro hole in the government's budget, forcing Scholz's coalition to find savings.

Image shows people wearing vests amid anti-government protests in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany January 15, 2024.

Germany's Finance Minister Christian Lindner told the crowd of thousands of protesting farmers from a chilly stage in front of the Brandenburg Gate that "I can't promise you more state aid from the federal budget." He added, "But we can fight together for you to enjoy more freedom and respect for your work." 

Subsequently, Farmers' Union head Joachim Rukwied took the microphone from Lindner and begged the crowd to stop jeering for long enough to listen to him, according to Reuters. "I have respect for every politician who is prepared to come to us," said Rukwied. 

"The finance minister is here," he said. "It makes no sense to boo him." The government has taken a conciliatory tone amid concerns that the political debate has become radicalised and demonstrations could turn violent.

Protest leaders were set to meet the coalition leaders on Monday afternoon. However, the governing parties themselves are divided over how best to meet farmers' demands. 

During his speech, the German finance minister described himself as a lad from the countryside, in an attempt to win over farmers and contrasted their peaceful protest in Berlin to the behaviour of climate activists who had sprayed paint on the Brandenburg Gate. 

Lindner went on to say that the little money that the government could save was needed for long neglected investments in schools and roads and for industrial energy subsidies. However, the jeers grew particularly loud when he said that the money was needed to support Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. 

"With the war in Ukraine, peace and freedom in Europe are threatened once again, so we have to invest once again in our security as we used to," said the German minister. 

Earlier this month, Scholz blasted several countries in the European Union for not delivering sufficient weapons to Ukraine, noting that with American military assistance to Ukraine stalled in the United States Congress, allies in the EU need to step up. 

He also reiterated that Berlin would support Kyiv for as long as necessary. While Germany had faced criticism during the initial months of the invasion for failing to step up and provide military backing to Ukraine, it is now among the top providers of both weapons and financial aid to the war-torn country. 

Image shows German farmers protesting against the so-called German Ampel coalition government near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany January 15, 2024.

Thousands of vehicles arrived overnight from across Germany parked nose-to-tail along the route, and crowds of farmers, wrapped up against the cold, waved German flags.

The protesters also raised banners marked with slogans like "Without farmers, no future".

Across Berlin, several bus and tram lines closed for the protest, which was patrolled by around 1,300 officers, said the German police.