Jul 14, 2014
Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin’s news show in English. Presenters Maisie, Andrew and Joel discuss local politics, urban development, public transport, bicycles, architecture and culture. On this episode, we dissect the refugee protest actions that have gripped Berlin over the past few weeks. Refugees are standing up for their right to move freely around the country, and are staging a series of sit ins, blockades and demonstrations, supported by a large number of local residents. Police have responded by flooding Kreuzberg with over a thousand officers, at a cost of over five million euros. Local politicians are divided on the issue, with even the refugee-friendly Green party flip-flopping about whether to send police in to evict refugees from their protest quarters. Should Berlin bid to host the 2024 Olympics? The Berlin Senate are racing to prepare a bid for the city, without stopping to first ask the citizens if they like the idea. Olympic Games are known to cause huge increases in rental prices, result in massive amounts of public spending, and often fail to return any of the promised benefits. The last time Berlin threatened to bid for the Olympics was in the early 90s, sparking a huge anti-Olympics campaign. This time around there has been little reaction. Is it time for a new anti-Olympics movement in Berlin? In traffic news, a cyclist was beaten unconscious by an enraged driver after bumping the side of his car in Mitte. And a cyclist is being sought by police for knocking down and killing a 70 year old man on a footpath in south Berlin. We play music from The History of Colour TV, Fenster, Bird Berlin and Carpet Patrol. Find out more at www.radiospaetkauf.com