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Do You want to know more? Background: What is “Project 2025”?
What Can WE Do? Our Response to Current US Politics
There is a very serious reason for this step.
We are all watching how the current US administration under Trump is endangering the global order and the climate, gambling with world peace, and thereby risking our common future.
Each and every one of us is rightly asking: “What can I do about it?”
As hospitality professionals in the events industry, we believe we have found an answer: The language of the “Deal-Maker” is economic consequences.
Therefore, we at Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater have decided to immediately boycott all US-branded products and consistently replace them with non-US alternatives.
Why We Are Taking This Step – And Why You Should Join Us
- Boycott as the Only Lever: Since Davos at the latest, we know: Economic pressure is the only lever this president understands. However, this pressure only builds if as MANY people as possible join in.
- Showing Stance Together Instead of Feeling Powerless: We know that many of our guests are looking for concrete ways to turn their concern about the global situation into effective action. “US-product-free” fridges and bars are our contribution: A visible statement that doesn’t have to end at the bar but can be taken as an impulse into everyday life. We are offering a space where consumption happens consciously and based on values.
- The Wave Is Already Rolling: We are currently in talks with colleagues in Berlin and across Germany — the enthusiasm is huge. This could become something big.
- It Is Feasible: We have found solutions with our suppliers that prove: It works! Adjusting supply contracts is a matter of negotiation and the will of all parties involved.
- Media Attention: The media will pick up on this topic. Become part of the movement before your own guests start asking: “What are YOU actually doing?”
How Long Will the Boycott Last?
We will maintain this boycott until an intelligent, empathetic person is governing in the White House again—someone who respects the global order, peace, humanity, and the climate instead of destroying everything. As soon as a humane, democracy-oriented government is back in power, the well-known US brands will return. We were able to promise this to our suppliers as well.
We are aware that this means negotiations and adjustments in the short term. But there are more important things than lost revenue and potential extra work. Even if a single decision may seem small: Together, we can initiate a wave that hits where it hurts.
Frequently Asked Questions (“Yes, But...” Objections)
Detailed information about the campaign and answers to specific questions — such as how we deal with US artists or equipment — can be found below.
We appreciate your engagement. Your Team at Columbiahalle & Columbia Theater
No. We are not passing on any additional costs to our guests. We are aware that the switch means higher purchase prices and additional organizational effort in the short term. But there are more important things than lost revenue and extra work. If this is the concrete response we can give as hospitality professionals to the current global situation, then we are happy to bear these costs and the extra work. So, the price at the bar remains unchanged for you – we are fully taking on this statement.
No, it’s a pause. We don’t want to “bash” the brands. As soon as an intelligent, empathetic person is governing in the White House again, respecting democratic values and international agreements, these products will happily return to our menus.
Absolutely not. We are not striving for nationalism, but for European solidarity. This is not about “Local First” in the sense of isolationism, but a conscious decision against an authoritarian US system. We support products from democracies that want to protect world peace and the climate.
A boycott always affects structures too. But: Standing still supports the status quo. We are giving preference to regional and European companies that share our values. As soon as the US government returns to democratic standards, the brands are welcome again.
Large US corporations are massive political players and lobbyists. Economic pressure on these giants is a direct lever to exert pressure on the US political system.
On the contrary. We offer US artists a stage in an environment that actively defends their democratic values. We are not boycotting US culture, but US capital that supports an anti- democratic system.
No. We strictly distinguish between US capital and US culture. Many artists from the USA are themselves the loudest voices of resistance against the current administration. We are not boycotting people or their art, but the billion-dollar corporations that support the political system.
However: We pay very close attention to political stances in our booking. Anyone who actively supports the MAGA agenda or dehumanizing hate speech (e.g., Kid Rock) will not find a stage with us.
Correct – we are not engaging in a blind sweep. A professional concert operation relies on specialized technical equipment for which there is often no immediate, equivalent European alternative. We absolutely do not want a boycott that endangers our own existence or destroys the quality of the shows. We are focusing on large, exchangeable consumer goods (drinks, snacks). Here we can act immediately without technically paralyzing the cultural sector.
We do. But these devices are already paid for and work perfectly. Throwing them away now would be ecologically and economically nonsensical. For us, sustainability also means using up existing resources.
Our promise: As soon as new purchases are due, we will actively look for non-US alternatives. We are stopping the new flow of money into the system instead of blindly scrapping existing technology.
No. Germany is a massive market. If venues, festivals, and the hospitality industry across the country switch over, we are talking about millions in revenue. This is real economics.
We have proven: It works. Through constructive talks with our cooperative partners, we were able to find alternatives.
In short: Through stance and direct conversation. Since every venue has individual hospitality contracts, there is no one-size-fits- all solution – every operator has to enter negotiations themselves. However, our experience shows: If you make it clear that this is about fundamental values that outweigh short-term revenue, you will find understanding.
Our negotiation strategy:
- Values before Margin: We openly explained to our suppliers that we cannot continue “business as usual” while the global order and climate are being gambled away.
- Building the Bridge: A decisive point was our assurance that this is not a permanent delisting. We communicated clearly: We are pausing cooperation with US brands only until an intelligent, empathetic person is governing in the White House again.
Nein! Wir sind keiner Partei oder politischen Strömung zugehörig. Unser Team und unsere Unterstützer*innen kommen aus der gesamten Breite der demokratischen Gesellschaft.
Was uns eint, ist die Verteidigung demokratischer Grundwerte. Daher gilt bei uns eine klare Grenze: Für Menschen, die rechtsextreme Positionen vertreten oder die Demokratie abschaffen wollen, ist bei uns kein Platz. Wir sind für die Demokratie und gegen jeden Extremismus.
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You are free to use the following graphics for your social media channels: Click on an individual graphic to view it in full size and save it.
We are sharing our templates and texts. Let’s start the wave together.
Background: What is “Project 2025”?
Behind the name “Project 2025” lies a over 900-page manifesto (“Mandate for Leadership”), developed by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation and over 100 other organizations. It is not just an election program, but a detailed guide for the radical transformation of the USA under Donald Trump.
Why we see this as a danger for all of us:
- Dismantling Democracy: The project plans to replace tens of thousands of independent experts in US authorities with loyal followers of the president. The goal: Total control over the judiciary, ministries, and secret services.
- Climate Sabotage: The paper calls for the abolition of climate protection agencies (such as NOAA) and the massive expansion of fossil fuels. At a time when we are fighting every second for the 1.5-degree target, this is a targeted attack on our global livelihood.
- Weakening Global Health: The plan includes the complete withdrawal of the USA from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the cutting of all funding. In an interconnected world where pandemics and health crises know no borders, the collapse of this central coordination point would be a devastating blow to international health protection.
- Human Rights Under Attack: Massive restrictions on women’s rights, safe spaces for LGBTQIA* individuals, and the largest deportation wave in US history using the military domestically are planned.
- Global Instability: The desired isolationism and withdrawal from international treaties endanger world peace and global security – here in Europe as well.
General / Further Information: https://european-alternatives.eu