Climate activists disrupt concert in Lucerne

 The protest action unfolded amid a concert in the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre. 
© Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Two climate activists from the group Renovate Switzerland movement glued themselves to the conductor's podium during a concert at the Lucerne Festival on Friday evening.

The conductor let them have their say and then continued the concert undisturbed.

The climate activists, aged 28 and 20, climbed onto the stage shortly before the end of the third movement, according to a statement by Renovate Switzerland.

They stuck their hands to the conductor's desk. The orchestra was not disturbed by the action at first, as a video on blick.ch showed. Complaints were heard from the audience.

Lucerne Festival: Climate Activists Interrupt Concert. Orchestra Plays On
Photo courtesy office yamane

The protest action took place on the the stage of the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre as the Bavarian State Orchestra played Bruckner's Fourth Symphony.

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski made an agreement with the activists. They were allowed to make their message known, but had to let the orchestra continue playing the concert afterwards.

"Let them speak," Jurowski said to the angry audience, as the video showed. Applause was also heard. The activist spoke of a climate emergency that affected everyone.

Renovate Switzerland said this marked the fourth event the movement had disrupted this summer. The aim is to draw public attention to the dangers of climate change.

First published at Swissinfo, September 9, 2023