Berlin, Germany - January 25, 2025 Thousands of protesters converged on the Brandenburg Gate on Saturday, January 25, 2025, lighting candles and raising flashlights in a demonstration against what organizers called a rising tide of right-wing extremism. Among the high-profile attendees was Luisa Neubauer, a leading climate advocate with Fridays for Future and a prominent voice for stricter environmental policies. In an interview at the protest, Neubauer stressed the importance of standing firm against regressive political forces. “A lot of people around the world are watching very closely what Donald Trump and his friends are up to,” she said. “We are not powerless - - we are not giving up. We’re turning on the lights. We’re also here for our allies in the United States.” Neubauer warned that “right radicals who hate the idea of free democracy and women’s rights hope the majority of people will get very quiet, but we’re not backing down.” She urged Germans and international observers to choose a side: “There’s only one question - do you stand for democracy, or do you close the door on it?”