German Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck today expressed his regret that there was no discussion when farmers, angry at planned subsidy cuts, he was prevented from disembarking from a ferry.

“Protesting in Germany is a valuable asset. Coercion and violence destroy this advantage“, he said in today’s statement after last night’s protest.

“What worries me is that the atmosphere in the country has overheated to such an extent,” Hambeck added in his statement today, also thanking the other passengers and crew of the ship, as well as the police.

Farmers, who oppose the government’s phasing out of a diesel subsidy, blocked a ferry in Schlitziel, northern Germany, carrying Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeckan action condemned by members of the government.

Almost thirty farmers blocked the approach of the ferry carrying Hambek, who was on holiday on Halih Hooge, a tourist island in the North Sea, on Thursday night, a police spokesman said today.

After a failed attempt to hold talks with the protesters, the minister decided to remain on board and return to Khalih Hooge. Once calm was restored, the minister was able to return to the mainland today at 02:50 (Greece time), according to police.

About 100 farmers with their tractors participated in this protest action, which the police broke up using tear gas, but without making any arrests.

The ban is “disgraceful and violates the rules of democratic coexistence,” said government spokesman Stephen Hembestright in a post on the X platform.

Minister of Agriculture Cem Ozdemir denounced this morning on the public television network ZDF this action of “a minority” of people who “do not act in favor of German agriculture”, but have “dreams of rebellion”, which is “not acceptable”.

The foreign ministers Analena Berbock (Greens) and Interior Nancy Feser (Social Democratic Party) also denounced this “violation” of the limits of democracy.

Chancellor Soltz he also denounced the incident with Habeck, who is a member of the Greens, calling it shameful. “With all due respect to protest culture, no one should remain indifferent in the face of such an ebullition of political morals,” he wrote early this morning on the X platform.

The farmers’ action came after the German government on Thursday partially abandoned plans to cut fuel subsidies for the agricultural sector. The diesel subsidy for farmers will be phased out by 2026 rather than all at once as originally planned.

But that is not enough for the farmers, who are planning a week of anti-government demonstrations from January 8 to 15, backed by their trade union.