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Protest by activists of the »Last Generation« (on October 11 in Berlin)
Photo: Christian Mang / REUTERS
Representatives of the traffic light coalition have opposed the Union's demands for a tightening of criminal law for climate activists.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai told the "Tagesspiegel" that the "continuing radicalization of parts of the climate movement" was causing him "great concern".
But enough legal instruments are already available "if the limits of peaceful protest are exceeded".
The legal policy spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, Sonja Eichwede, made a similar statement.
She fears a "further radicalization" of the activists, she told the same newspaper.
But the criminal law already offers numerous possibilities to take action against it.
She called the Union's demand for tightening of criminal law "populist": One does not need the "populist call for tightening of criminal law by the Union".
This neither helps the investigating authorities nor prevents further crimes.
The "Bild am Sonntag" ("BamS") had reported that the Union faction in the Bundestag wants to bring in an application for tougher penalties.
Activists who block roads or obstruct the passage of the police, fire brigade and rescue services should therefore face a minimum prison sentence in the future.
The Union is also demanding a minimum sentence of imprisonment instead of fines for damaging or destroying cultural assets.
The head of the CSU deputy in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, told the newspaper: "Climate protests must not be carte blanche for crimes." «
CSU boss Markus Söder also called for tougher penalties for activists of the "last generation" - in particularly serious cases up to imprisonment.
»I have no understanding when human lives are endangered, I have no understanding when property is damaged.
And I think the state must also show a clear edge here." There must be "very clearly" penalties, "and penalties that are effective: not light fines, but also an arrest or a corresponding prison sentence, for example, if Then it comes to particularly serious cases, "said the Bavarian Prime Minister on Sunday in Munich.
"Dobrindt's suggestion is stupid and dangerous"
Dobrindt's statements were not well received by the Greens.
The party's transport policy spokesman, Stefan Gelbhaar, told the Tagesspiegel that Dobrindt's proposal was "stupid and dangerous".
The assembly law already provides for “heavy prison sentences for unannounced demonstrations”.
»Apparently the legal situation in the Union is not even known.«
The trigger for the current debate is the case of a deceased cyclist in Berlin.
She was struck and run over by a truck last Monday.
According to the fire brigade, a special vehicle that was supposed to help free the injured person under the truck was stuck in a traffic jam on the city highway.
This is said to have been triggered by an action by the »last generation«.
However, the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reported, citing a deployment note, that according to the emergency doctor treating it, the fact that the car was not available had no effect on the rescue of the injured woman.
According to the police and the public prosecutor's office, the cyclist died on Thursday from her serious injuries.
aar/AFP/dpa