Glue first, then fly? A climate activist from Switzerland was caught at the airport and is now fighting a huge shitstorm.
Munich/Zurich – “Yes, I’m in Mexico,” admits Max Voegtli on Twitter. The Swiss climate activist has been fighting a huge shitstorm since he was photographed at the airport in Zurich. Voegtli is spokesman for the organization “Renovate Switzerland”, the Swiss counterpart to the “Last Generation”, which was bugged in Bavaria.
Two days after Voegtli appeared on a talk show, he was caught ZurichToday– Readers at the airport. And reported to the newspaper: The climate activist boarded a plane from Zurich to Paris. There his connecting flight went to Central America.
“Climate Judas”: Activist collects Shitstorm for flight via Paris to Mexico
“It doesn’t work at all as a climate glue and road blocker, there are no excuses either. I’m outraged,” the reader complains: “At least to Paris there is a great train connection. Preaching water and drinking wine is absolutely unacceptable and unbelievable.”
Similar criticism is now flying around Voegtli’s ears on social networks. “Hypocrites”, “Pharisees”, “Climate Judas”, scold him users on Twitter. “Next time you fly to Mexico, I’ll stick myself on the runway,” threatens another.
The tenor on the internet is clear: stick first, then fly. That’s double standards. Voegtli defends his trip, saying the decision was not easy for him and that he is aware of his privileges. Also: “I had researched alternative travel options, but there was little to be found.” In a video call with ZurichToday he promises to only use public transport on his two-month tour of Central America.
Swiss rave about air travel from climate glue – group speaks of “media hounding”
But the Twitter community is not that easy to convince. “Why don’t you travel around Europe for two months? Your behavior is unacceptable, you can try to talk it up,” comments one woman. “It’s not a human right to travel to Central America for pleasure,” complains another user, “everyone can, but he shouldn’t play the moral high ground beforehand and accuse others of not behaving in an environmentally friendly manner.”
The group “Renovate Switzerland” sees behind the outcry about the flight a “media hunt against the climate movement and the people who work for it.” Spokeswoman Cécile Bessire says ZurichToday: “It would be more in the public interest to ask governments to justify their inaction on climate change and the fact that they are sending millions of people to their deaths.” There was a similar travel debate in Germany, as two members of the “last generation” were blown during a holiday in Bali. They skipped a court date to catch the flight. (moe)
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