“Proposed extension threatens city’s nightlife and cultural identity, with 20 nightclubs at risk of demolition”

In Berlin, a unique coalition of techno fans and environmental activists has come together to oppose plans to extend the A100 motorway, a project that could demolish 20 nightclubs in the city’s east. These nightclubs are central to Berlin’s vibrant cultural scene, which has become famous worldwide since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

At the weekend, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Berlin, drawing attention to the proposed motorway extension, which threatens the heart of the city’s nightlife. The extension would span an area from Treptower Park to Friedrichshain, home to iconic clubs like About Blank, a legendary techno venue, and Renate, a popular LGBTQ+ hotspot. Protesters have dubbed the motorway extension the “highway to hell” due to the threat it poses to the city’s cultural legacy.

The project, which has been backed by the transport ministry and Berlin’s first conservative mayor in over two decades, Kai Wegner, is slated to begin in 2027. It aims to address rising traffic congestion, according to the transport ministry. However, club owners and cultural activists argue that it would destroy the heart of Berlin’s creative scene, which has flourished since 1989.

Lutz Leichsenring, spokesperson for Clubcommission Berlin, warned that the motorway extension poses an “existential threat” to the city’s unique cultural landscape. He stressed that Berlin’s renowned club scene, born from the deindustrialisation following World War II, has been integral to the city’s global identity.

The city’s club culture has not only become an international phenomenon but also an economic powerhouse, contributing approximately €1.5bn annually to Berlin’s economy. Leichsenring explained that the cultural offering has been a magnet for startups, international companies, and industries, ranging from transport to tourism.

Mohamed Ben Mustapha, a member of ZUKUNFT am Ostkreuz, a bar and indie cinema, likened the motorway extension to “Berlin shooting itself in the kneecap” and warned that removing these clubs would stifle the city’s cultural exchange, which thrives in spaces where people from diverse backgrounds gather.

The #clubsAREculture campaign, which has gained widespread international support, pledges to continue pressuring local and federal governments through protest raves and public demonstrations.

Clubcommission Berlin is calling for an immediate halt to the motorway extension plans and is pushing for a comprehensive urban development strategy to address gentrification and safeguard the city’s cultural scene.