120 Kilometres of Human Chain Reaction

JUB students amongst Germany's largest anti-nuclear protest since decades

On the 26th of April 1986, the average temperature was 16°C in Chernobyl - at least outside the reactor. It was at this particular day that a global rethinking happened due to the catastrophic events following the meltdown of reactor number four of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine where 336,000 people had to be evacuated, thousands died due to immediate radiation and hundreds of thousands developed cancer as a result.
In 2000, Germany's government, comprised of Social Democrats and Greens, decided in consensus with the industry to successively put paid to all nuclear power plants in Germany, with the oldest ones already supposed to be shut down in 2010 and the newest ones in 2020. The decision followed a heated decade-long discussion, mainly involving opposing citizens on one side and the industry on the other. Without going too much into detail, pro-nuclear arguments comprised the risen need for clean (low CO2-emittance) energy, energy independence, economical benefits, and the risen security standards. Protesters, on the other hand, referred to the crowding out of renewable energies caused by supporting nuclear power, the danger of military usage or threat of terrorism, the remaining problem of nuclear waste, economic and insurance problems, and the threat caused by another possible meltdown.
The year is 2010, however, and still all nuclear power plants in Germany enjoy their everyday nuclear fission routine. What happened? With the current nuclear power-friendly government, comprised of Christian Democrats and Liberals, the nuclear phase out is at the tipping point with large parts of both parties in favour of extending the runtimes of nuclear power plants, despite opposition from the current environment minister. The government's decision is to be announced in autumn.
Against the background of these developments, six Jacobs students stood on a dyke somewhere along the Alster near the small village Brunsbüttel, close to Hamburg, shouting slogans such as “Hopp! Hopp! Hopp! Atomkraft stopp!” while holding scarves and sweaters in between their arms and watching parachuters glide down the sky with “Atomkraft – Nein, danke!” banners strapped to their feet. A total of 120,000 people queued into 120 kilometres of human chain stretching from the nuclear power plant in Brunsbüttel, along the NPP Brokdorf to the NPP Krümmel – hence comprising the largest anti-nuclear protest in Germany for many decades. Organised by a wide alliance of major political parties, employee associations, NGOs and church-based organisations, the human chain turned out to be much larger than expected.
But what made these six Jacobs students join hands with strangers from all around Germany? “I went out to protest nuclear power because no amount of safeguards can prevent catastrophe. For over a hundred thousand years we'll have to deal with increasing levels of toxic waste, which the slightest accident or terroristic event could shatter ecosystems and societies,” explained Trevor Sloughter after taking up the challenge of an hour-long bus ride despite suffering from motion sickness. Mareike Michaelis, on the other hand, joined the others to “send a signal and make use of the symbolic effect” of a human chain of this magnitude.
After all banners had been raised slogans shouted, and the whole chain ran down the dyke in an line of uproaring protesters, it was time to recapitulate while joining a large crowd listening to speeches and prominent artists such as Jan Delay. Sarah Gero first seemed to be a bit disappointed, stating that she “thought that there would actually be a lot more people there, but when I heard the actual number of people in attendance it was quite a lot. It just didn't seem like that many while I was there. All in all, I'm really glad that I went because it was a unique experience and for a good cause.” This impression is shared by Mareike who enjoyed the wonderful weather and the “relaxed atmosphere” despite “bad communication of information and the presence of rather everyday people instead of the typical protesters. But maybe that's a good thing.” Maybe, there really was a change in society making people, again, more attentive to political issues, that will get them out on the streets to voice their opinion on decisions that affect their lives and those of future generations. Or maybe it was just the beautiful weather. In any case, the government's decision on the elongation of NPP running times in autumn is eagerly awaited and may be met with just as much opposition as one could see from Brunsbüttel to Krümmel on that sunny day, about 24 years after Chernobyl.