There’s Strength in Numbers

30 percent of German voters have participated in a demonstration at least once a year since 2008 – and the trend is still rising. Quite clearly, peaceful protest is bringing about profound change in Germany and the world at large. Drawing on first-hand experience, Kessler enlightens us on the diverse forms of protest this new movement has taken and shows us how much fun it is to take politics to the streets. We meet the park protesters in Stuttgart (“Stuttgart 21”), the anti-Nazi activists in Dresden, and the farmers who live near the infamous Gorleben nuclear power station. Kessler talks to passionate demonstrators and veterans of the protest movement such as Marianne Fritzen, the “mother of the ecology movement” and Mark Greif, the mastermind of the Occupy! movement. His trenchant observations and sound advice capture the mindset of a spirited, newly empowered public, as he eggs us on to demonstrate and get pro-actively involved in the cutting-edge constructive protest movement.