Massive farmers’ protests in Hamburg: traffic blocked with tractors

Hundreds of tractors blocked traffic in parts of Hamburg. According to the Hamburg police, the important port of the second largest German city was also badly affected. There are “significant traffic disruptions due to tractor blockages”.

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According to the police, truck traffic was backed up for miles on the German Autobahn 7 near the Elbe Tunnel on Monday morning because tractors were blocking the Köhlbrand Bridge and another important access route to the port area. The Port of Hamburg is the largest German seaport and is particularly important for container handling.

Around 1,500 tractors expected

In addition, columns of tractors caused massive traffic disruptions in downtown Hamburg, where farmers gathered for a rally at Dammtor train station. The police asked drivers to avoid the entire area and to use S-Bahn and subway trains if possible. Several bus routes in downtown Hamburg were affected.

According to officials, the organizers are expecting around 1,500 tractors in the Hanseatic city. Numerous participants from the federal states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein were expected. According to the police, information about their number was initially difficult due to the constant arrival of tractors.

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Other large seaports were also affected

Other large German seaports were also the target of blockades by farmers on Monday. In Lower Saxony, farmers used vehicles to block the entrances to Jade-Weser-Port, a container port near Wilhelmshaven. According to the police, the access roads were blocked by around 40 tractors.

There were also initially significant problems at the port of Bremerhaven, another important transshipment point on the German coast. According to police, a “gathering” of farmers caused a “significant backlog” on a key access route. But there are discussions between demonstrators and the police, the officials explained. These enable regular entries and exits, which means the obstructions will slowly decrease.

Farmers have been protesting regularly since mid-December. Their dissatisfaction was sparked by the German government’s plans for cuts in the wake of the budget crisis. The government partially backtracked and canceled the planned abolition of vehicle tax advantages for agricultural businesses. However, the elimination of subsidies for agricultural diesel should continue to be implemented – gradually by 2026.