Sharp criticism of the climate protest at BER: "Presumptuous and dangerous"
Created: 2022-11-25Updated: 2022-11-25 10:27 am
By: Benjamin Stroka
Protest at BER: Climate activists of the "last generation" have blocked a runway at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport.
Flight operations were suspended for around an hour.
Berlin – Several activists of the so-called “Last Generation” blocked a runway at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) on Thursday (November 24).
Before that, they had snapped open a fence around 4 p.m. and thus gained access.
The climate protesters had started a live stream on social media, which then showed them in safety vests and with banners on a runway at BER.
Some of them were believed to have stuck themselves on the tarmac.
Air traffic had to be suspended for around an hour.
After the action at the capital airport, the police took several people into custody.
The police headquarters in Brandenburg told the German Press Agency
that the activists were being charged with dangerous interference in air traffic, trespassing and property damage
.
It was not immediately known how many people were in custody.
Numerous politicians criticized the action of the group "Last Generation" - sometimes sharply.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), for example, called the blockade "a renewed escalation and absolutely unacceptable".
These actions destroyed the important social acceptance of the fight against climate change, according to Faeser via Twitter: "I thank the federal police for their quick and decisive action against these criminals."
The deputy leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, was even clearer.
He called them "counterproductive, overbearing and potentially dangerous".
The blockade discredits the "maximum important concern of climate protection," said von Notz via Twitter.
“There is also an overbearing hubris inherent in these actions.
At the same time, we should trust in the power of the rule of law and the independence of the courts.
Sensitive penalties are already being considered for endangering air traffic.”
And Union parliamentary group leader Andrea Lindholz (CSU) wrote: "Airport grounds are not a stage for political actions." With the impairment of air traffic at BER Airport, the so-called climate activists would have crossed another red line.
The judiciary must react quickly and with consistent penalties to this serious disruption.
Climate activists block the airport: BER had to stop operations
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport announced shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Thursday in the course of the protest action by climate activists that flight operations had been suspended for the time being.
"Due to the unauthorized access of several people, both runways at BER are currently closed," said a message on the airport's Facebook page.
At around 18:15, BER announced that both runways were back in operation.
“But there are still delays.
We ask for patience,” it said in a tweet.
The airport had previously told the
German Press Agency
that flight operations did not have to be stopped.
The situation on site had changed in the meantime, said a spokesman for the
dpa
.
The activists of the group "Last Generation" had apparently reached the airport site on both the north and south sides.
The activists have blocked the runway at BER (symbol image).
© Soeren Stache/dpa
"Last generation": Activists block BER airport
In the live stream of the activists, blue lights could be seen after a few minutes and police officers could also be heard a short time later.
They asked the activists to leave the premises.
The protesters initially refused.
Then other emergency services arrived and asked the activists who had been moving on the tarmac in the past few minutes to lie down on the ground.
The live stream ended shortly thereafter.
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The federal police confirmed that several people were on the airport site.
"In the area of the part of the airport that is not open to the public, we encountered several people who had previously gained unauthorized access and in some cases glued themselves," the federal police said.
More detailed information was not initially available.
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport was opened in October 2020 after more than 14 years of construction.
The most important airlines at the airport include Eurowings, Easyjet and Ryanair.
"Last Generation" protests at BER Airport
As the “Last Generation” reports, the police were informed about the action by an emergency call shortly before entering the airport premises.
In addition, more protesters with bicycles should ride over the shunting area “and thus bring air traffic to a standstill”, as the climate activists say.
In a Twitter post, the “Last Generation” demands: The government must now enable ordinary people to participate!
Affordable public transport for everyone, instead of private jet flights from publicly funded airports!
We now need the 9-euro ticket as a first security measure against climate collapse!”
Climate protest at BER airport: "Last generation" recently blocked roads
In the past few weeks, protests by the so-called “last generation” have intensified.
Actions at airports were also announced in this context.
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia and Düsseldorf Airport have already announced that they are preparing for possible protests.
Most recently, it was mainly busy roads that were blocked by the "last generation".
According to their own statements, the climate activists want to protest with "non-violent resistance" and demand greater commitment to climate change.
A protest action also took place in Cologne on Thursday (November 24).
Activists had glued themselves to the inner Kanalstrasse, an important traffic artery in Cologne.
Note: This article was last updated on November 24th at 21:04.
Innovation: Several climate activists in police custody.
(bs with dpa)