Minister of Justice warns climate adhesive: Up to five years imprisonment if road traffic is endangered

Created: 05/12/2022 17:16

By: Andreas Thieme

Georg Eisenreich (CSU), Minister of Justice of Bavaria, in front of the press.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa

Even today there were blockades on Munich streets and even on the Autobahn.

Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich (51) has now announced tough penalties if activists intervene in road traffic.

There is a risk of up to five years imprisonment!

Munich - Again and again chaos through the climate sticker.

In order to draw attention to nature conservation, protest actions are increasing, in which the activists sometimes resort to drastic measures.

Even today, several activists blocked downtown Munich and even one of Bavaria's main traffic arteries, the Bundesautobahn 9.

The Bavarian Minister of Justice Georg Eisenreich (51, CSU) does not want to accept that.

He warns: “Climate protection yes.

crime no.

In Germany, everyone can publicly express their opinion and demonstrate peacefully and without weapons.

Freedom of expression and the right to assembly are valuable assets.

However, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression end where criminal law begins.” Climate protection does not justify any criminal offences.

Eisenreich makes it clear: “Criminal offenses must not be tolerated.

Blockades of (or other interventions in) airports and motorways have a new dimension.” Here the criminal laws should be “consistently applied”.

For the first time, Eisenreich also names a specific penalty for the adhesive actions.

"Demonstrators must be clear: coercion and dangerous intervention in road traffic can also be punished with imprisonment, in the case of dangerous intervention in road traffic with imprisonment of up to five years."

Munich: Minister of Justice threatens climate stickers with five years in prison - "Activists who endanger others are criminals"

Everyone can campaign for climate protection and demonstrate for their goals, says Eisenreich.

But: “We are now seeing radicalization tendencies among some of the activists.

Some of the climate activists endanger the health and life of other people.

The rule of law cannot accept that.

So-called climate activists who endanger the health and lives of other people are criminals.”

Coercion (§ 240 StGB) comes into consideration as a criminal offence, if participants deliberately and intentionally trigger significant blockages by sitting down and sticking to the roadway or actively resist being carried away.

According to Eisenreich, there is a risk of “imprisonment of up to three years or a fine”.

The same applies to resistance against law enforcement officials (§ 113 StGB).

The sticking actions can also be legally classified as a dangerous intervention in road traffic (§ 315b StGB).

“Anyone who wants to improve road safety, e.g.

B. impaired by the fact that obstacles are set up and people or property are endangered as a result, can be punished with imprisonment for up to five years or a fine,” says Eisenreich.

The disability of persons providing assistance also comes into consideration (§ 323c Paragraph 2 StGB).

"Anyone who, in the event of an accident or common danger or need, hinders a person who is providing or wants to provide assistance to a third party can be punished with imprisonment for up to one year or a fine," the Minister of Justice clarified.

Damage to property is also punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine.