Enlarge image
Accident site in Berlin
Photo: Paul Zinken / dpa
The climate activists of the "last generation" have expressed dismay at the news of the brain death of a cyclist who was run over by a truck in Berlin on Monday.
"It hits us deeply that the cyclist who was seriously injured in an accident by a cement mixer in Berlin on Monday has now been declared brain dead," said activist Henning Jeschke.
According to the fire department, the arrival of a special vehicle to rescue the woman was delayed due to a traffic jam.
As the fire brigade explained, this in turn was triggered by a protest action by the group »Last Generation«.
However, a fire brigade spokesman admitted that the formation of a rescue lane was also problematic given the size of the vehicle.
The climate activists have been increasingly hostile to social networks since the incident and made directly responsible for the woman's brain death.
"Last Generation" member Jeschke also reacted to this: "We hear a lot of information, including untruths, that are spread by the big media.
We should stick to solid facts, as we did in the climate catastrophe,” he explained.
»We call on the media to present reality as such without inciting incitement.«
When asked whether the woman's brain death would change anything about the protest actions, he said: "As long as our highest political organs break our common constitution with an announcement because they are destroying our livelihoods, we will offer peaceful resistance." The time is over, in which those responsible for politics would get away with “with nice words about climate protection”, according to Jeschke.
»Self-proclaimed climate activists«
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser is also one of the critics of the actions.
»The rule of law cannot be fooled around.
The police have my full support when they crack down on self-proclaimed climate activists who have been endangering other people with completely unacceptable actions for weeks," said the SPD politician.
The activists placed themselves above the law and resorted to means that did not benefit the important issue of climate protection, but did considerable damage.
"The security authorities keep a close eye on radicalization processes," said Faeser.
In doing so, she indirectly reacted to criticism from the former Federal Minister of Justice Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger.
The FDP politician told SPIEGEL on Wednesday: "Part of the job description of a federal interior minister is to keep every radical group on the screen.
There is growing concern that the protest will become more radical and may also directly endanger people.«
On Wednesday, activists from the group "Last Generation" daubed the party headquarters of the SPD, Greens and FDP in Berlin with paint, and two activists were temporarily stuck in the entrance area of the FDP party headquarters.
In the past few weeks, the group has also made a name for itself with campaigns in museums and with motorway blockades.
Recently, activists stuck to a painting by the French impressionist Claude Monet in the Barberini Museum in Potsdam.
Previously, they had smeared the 111 million euro plant with mashed potatoes.
Most recently, a debate broke out about the group's actions after one of their roadblocks in Berlin allegedly caused an emergency vehicle to arrive late at an accident in which a cyclist was seriously injured by a cement mixer.
After the police had meanwhile declared that the woman had died, this information has now been corrected.
The woman was declared brain dead and will continue to be treated in intensive care in the clinic.
When crimes are committed and other people are endangered, every line of legitimate protest is crossed, Faeser said.
“None of this has anything to do with a democratic debate.
The criminals must be prosecuted quickly and consistently.«
til/sev/dpa
