Playing second fiddle to no-one

MUSICIANS PART OF SUCCESS IN FIGHT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

Pictures: (left) 'Miming', Michael van der Aa, right 'playing'

Music has played a key part in protests in the Netherlands, where people have been campaigning against fossil fuel subsidies since 2020. Known as the 'A12 Orchestra', a group of musicians are part of a growing group of protesters, at first just dozens, then hundreds, then thousands and finally tens of thousands who've succeeded in changing heart and minds in society throughout the country by occupying the A12 highway, a major route to The Hague.

This week, on 10th October 2023, Extinction Rebellion Netherlands have put out a hopeful press release saying that the coming together of citizens calling for action have succeeded in the possibility of a change in government policy, which they will firmly be keeping their eyes on. "After 27 days of A12 blockades and more than 9,000 arrests, the Lower House is asking the cabinet to come up with a phase-out path for fossil subsidies," it said.

After already forcing politicians to be truthful about their spending on fossil fuel subsidies (i.e. 39.7 - 46.4 Billion euros each year, rather than their initial claims of spending 4.5 billion euros annually), more and more people joined the protest. Threatened by the deployment of water canons back in March 2023, the A12 Orchestra decided to play the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony no. 7 anyway, which was deemed to have a de-escalating effect. At the time, violinist Vera Beths said, "Nature is a great source of inspiration for composers. You can find everything in it; harmony, dissonance, rhythm and form. We are in the process of disturbing this balance systematically. That has to stop. We have to start listening again".

From the start of September, ahead of the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York protestors stepped up their actions, blocking the A12 motorway every day at noon. But on 16th September 2023 when police forbade the A12 Orchestra to bring their instruments onto the highway, one musician sent footage via social media of them singing and miming the playing of their instruments instead! The piece of music 'Dies Irae' is a movement of Mozart's final work, his Requiem with a text that conveys the day of judgement. The footage went viral along with a strong message, "They can take our instruments," Michael van der Aa tweeted, "But they will not take our voice!"

"The actions (of all the A12 protesters) have also had a huge effect on people living in the Netherlands", said Extinction Rebellion Netherlands, "Three years ago most of them did not know that fossil subsidies existed, now 73% say they are in favour of abolition ... much remains to be done before climate justice policies are implemented in the Netherlands. (We) will continue to work unabated for this."

The A12 Orchestra playing Beethoven (with instruments) in March 2023:-