Magdeburg entrepreneurs are distancing themselves from the nationwide protest initiative “We’re opening up”.
Magdeburg l Nationwide, an initiative called “We’re opening up” calls on restaurateurs, retailers, hairdressers and other service providers to disregard corona protection rules and open shops from January 11, 2021. The appeal is met with a great response online. In Magdeburg entrepreneurs distance themselves decidedly from this type of protest.
“That is not the right way,” says Rolf Lay. The chairman of the community of interests (IG) Innenstadt bundles the interests of more than 250 inner city entrepreneurs from restaurateurs to retailers. However, so far there are no indications of participation of IG members in the opening initiative. “The trade is actually doing extremely badly. Vacancies will increase sharply and existences will disappear ”, Lay paints a dramatic picture and says:“ But breaking the law for this is not advisable. ”
Lateral thinkers on board
The initiator of the opening campaign, placed on the Telegram online channel, is said to be the owner of a cosmetic studio in Krefeld. The call to openly break the law is apparently supported by parts of the lateral thinking movement and the Reich citizenship, but also by desperate entrepreneurs whose existence is threatened.
“That would be fatal,” says Ratskeller managing director Matthias Nawroth about the participation of Magdeburg colleagues in the campaign, “but I don’t know anyone who wants to take part”. Nawroth criticizes a failed communication policy and short-term shutdown extensions, “but otherwise there is a reason for all of this and I don’t think the current decisions of the federal government are so wrong”. Of course, any initiative is actually better than burying your head in the sand, says Nawroth, “but this one doesn’t make sense”. In any case, he would not advise any colleague to risk his trade license and possibly contagion in this way.
Hope for spring
Mückenwirt Uli Bittner agrees and judges the call to open from next Monday: “That is absolutely impossible.” With a heavy heart, especially with regard to the cooks and service staff, he keeps the doors of the restaurant closed, “but for the moment there is simply no other way. We are optimistic about March, April and the warmer times – then things will look up again. ”Bittner is even betting that in 2021 Oktoberfests can be celebrated again. “In any case, we are preparing for it. And if it doesn’t work then, then don’t. What is left for us? ”He, too, according to Bittner, had long struggled with the contradictions of some corona regulations:“ In the supermarket I touch the non-disinfected shopping cart, but I am not allowed to eat in a thoroughly disinfected restaurant. ”In the meantime, he simply thinks less about it and count on optimism for the summer.
Appeal to responsibility
“The desperation is huge, with us and almost all of our colleagues”, says Mathias Fangohr, who runs the catering in the society and theater with his partner Matthias Kunze next to the café in the monastery of Our Lady. Nevertheless, he understands the closing order: “The infection numbers don’t give anything else.” He categorically rejects opening against the law and in protest, “if only out of responsibility for our employees and guests”. The café in the monastery maintains an outside business that has nothing to do with the normal economic situation, but at least brings in some of the costs that are not covered by aid programs (for example for loans and only deferred taxes). “But we hold out and we can do it,” says Fangohr.
The restaurateur Arno Frommhagen (Flair und Gastro Conzept) also gives an insight into the current Corona situation: “Nobody does that out of chicane,” he accepts the closing order for infection protection purposes. “I don’t believe in calling for civil disobedience through opening.” Allee Center Manager Petra Kann praised when asked: “We will continue to strictly adhere to all official requirements.” As far as she is aware, there are no dealers in the center who want to open their shops despite the official requirements.
Further tight controls
Police and law enforcement agencies have been warned, but according to police spokeswoman Tracy Bertram, they have no knowledge of the involvement of local entrepreneurs in the opening action. The controls by the police and security services are maintained and violations of the Corona Containment Ordinance are punished. The serious violation of the corona rules occurred in October 2020 when more than 80 guests were infected with the corona virus at an unauthorized party in a Magdeburg location – now a case for the public prosecutor’s office.
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