Protest against the 3rd runway: silence in Freising on Sunday!

Protest against the 3rd runway: silence in Freising on Sunday!

On Sunday, October 12th, Freising's city center will once again be the scene of an important event: the ecumenical initiative “Lights Signs” invites you to observe a walk of silence. It begins at 6 p.m. in the Church of the Ascension of Christ. From there the path leads to the Roider-Jakl fountain. This event is dedicated to the protest against the planned construction of a third runway at Munich Airport, an issue that has been affecting the minds of citizens in the region for some time. As the South German newspaper reports, the silence is to draw attention to the preservation of creation and home.

The reason for this action has its origins in a court ruling by the Bavarian Administrative Court, which rejected a lawsuit against the so-called “perpetual building right” for the third runway at the end of July 2025. The judges justified their decision by saying that construction measures that had already been carried out, such as the land acquisition and S-Bahn tunnel under the planned apron, as well as compensation measures under nature conservation law, were sufficient to prevent the planning approval decision from becoming invalid next March 2026. However, opponents of the plans criticize this view as “completely incomprehensible”, which gives the protest more emphasis.

Demand for political rethinking

The protesters' central demand is directed at political decision-makers: It is time to finally bury the controversial project. The Federal Nature Conservation Union (BN) and affected residents filed the lawsuit in 2024 after the Free State granted the airport company perpetual building rights. Christine Margraf, the deputy BN state representative, announced that she would examine the reasons for the judgment and decide whether further legal steps should be taken. The plaintiffs also have the option of filing a complaint against the non-admission of the appeal to the Federal Administrative Court. This represents a further political step to stop the plans, which are vehemently rejected by the Free Voters.

The dispute over the third runway is not only legally but also politically explosive. A moratorium in the coalition agreement shows that the state government cannot agree on a common approach. Meanwhile, the airport emphasizes that there are currently no concrete plans for the construction of the third runway. These uncertainties add fuel to the debate.

The role of citizens

The silence on October 12th is perceived as an important part of a broad citizens' movement. It is an opportunity to make the concerns of residents and the BN heard. Under the motto of solidarity and responsible treatment of nature, it is expected that numerous people will take part. The protest aims to make it clear that decision-makers cannot ignore what is important to local people. As the Swabian newspaper If the opponent's front remains active and the pressure on those responsible grows.

Next Sunday, the focus will not only be on commemoration, but also on a clear appeal to politicians to rethink their decisions and listen to the voices of the population.