Dresden (dpa/sn) - Craftsmen demonstrated in Dresden against the increased energy costs and called on the government to act. The protest on the filled Neumarkt in front of the Frauenkirche remained peaceful, a police spokesman said on Friday evening. The police did not provide information on the number of participants. The organizers spoke of around 5000 people - 1000 participants were registered. Among other things, the craftsmen demanded tax cuts for energy and the commissioning of available power plants.
Among the participants were Saxony's Health and Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) and CDU faction leader Christian Hartmann. Speakers on the stage included the President of the Dresden Chamber of Crafts, Jörg Dittrich, and the State Superintendent of the Bakers' Guild, Roland Ermer.
Under the motto "Appeal to the reason of craftsmen in the guild", the roofers' guild in Bautzen had called for protests against rising energy prices. It was said that many craft companies were up to their necks in cross-industry business. The very existence of energy-intensive companies is under acute threat, as are numerous jobs and training positions.
