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Outrage over Greenpeace action at the European Football Championship game: "Krass idiotic and irresponsible action"

2021-06-19T07:12:25.997Z


Two people injured, the paraglider pilot arrested: The dangerous Greenpeace action at the German EM game has been sharply criticized. Friedrich Merz questions the non-profit nature of the organization.


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Greenpeace activist in the Allianz Arena: "Two injured men who were taken to hospital for further medical care"

Photo: Lukas Barth-Tuttas / POOL / EPA

The paramotor pilot was only able to prevent a crash into the stands with great difficulty: The unsuccessful protest action by Greenpeace before the German national soccer team's EM game against France met with widespread rejection.

"The Munich Police Headquarters emphasizes that there is no understanding whatsoever for such irresponsible actions, in which a considerable risk to human life is accepted," said a statement from the police. Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder announced the consequences. "That will be dealt with precisely, these are clear violations," said the CSU politician to Bayerischer Rundfunk. "This is not a trivial offense." The CDU politician Friedrich Merz tweeted that after yesterday's incident, "it is time to review the public benefit of Greenpeace."

The pilot had initially flown over the stadium and tried to drop a large yellow ball into the arena.

In doing so, however, he got caught in a steel cable construction on the stadium roof and began to spin.

In pictures you can see how he grazed some viewers.

"As things stand, we have two injured men who have been taken to hospital for further medical treatment," said a police spokesman.

There is initially no information about the severity of the injuries.

"Considerable risk to human life accepted"

After the emergency landing, two players from the German team rushed to his aid - then he was led away by two security guards.

The pilot was arrested and his plane was seized.

The police are investigating various offenses under the Criminal Code and the Aviation Act against the 38-year-old man from Baden-Württemberg.

The European Football Union Uefa spoke of a "ruthless and dangerous action" that could have serious consequences for many people.

The German Football Association also condemned the protest.

Greenpeace apologizes

The Green parliamentary group deputy Konstantin von Notz commented on the action with which Greenpeace actually wanted to criticize Volkswagen with the words: "An important topic, but a blatantly idiotic and irresponsible action."

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) called the pilot in the "Bild" newspaper an irresponsible adventurer who "grossly overestimated his flying skills himself and thereby seriously endangered the life and limb of spectators in the stadium."

Greenpeace itself apologized on Twitter that people were endangered by the "forced landing due to a technical malfunction".

"This protest never had the intention of disrupting the game or injuring people." Greenpeace actions are always peaceful and non-violent.

It was only at the end of May that Greenpeace caused a sensation with an action.

Activists had stolen hundreds of car keys at the VW plant in Emden - and exhibited them for collection on the Schneeerner Glacier on the Zugspitze, which was badly affected by climate change.

Even now, Greenpeace had actually wanted to demonstrate against Volkswagen - the group should not sell climate-damaging diesel and gasoline cars.

However, a spokesman for the environmental organization spoke of an unsuccessful action during the football game.

He told the dpa news agency: "We are so sorry."

Germany's largest automobile company announced after the campaign that it was open to critical and constructive dialogue on environmental and sustainability issues and was clearly committed to the Paris climate agreement by 2050. The protest, according to VW, meant that “the life and limb of bystanders and fans were one Soccer game «and even injured people.

apr / dpa

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2021-06-19

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