After raid: "Last generation" continues to protest

Created: 12/14/2022 1:24 p.m

Two climate activists of the "last generation" try to stick themselves on a street in Munich despite the drizzle and sub-zero temperatures.

© Peter Kneffel/dpa

Neither bans nor the weather seem to stop the climate activists: they keep protesting.

The group is well organized, but is it also a "criminal organization"?

Neuruppin/Berlin/Munich - After raids against climate activists of the "last generation", investigators are investigating the suspicion of the formation of a criminal organization.

The competent public prosecutor's office in Neuruppin, Brandenburg, announced on Wednesday that extensive documents and data carriers had been confiscated.

However, the activists did not let the investigations and the threat of penalties stop them: there were new protests in Berlin and Munich.

According to the police, about 20 people in Berlin again blocked roads in three places and caused traffic jams.

In Munich, according to the police, activists failed because of the wet and cold weather when trying to stick themselves on a street.

The two protesters sat on the street with a banner.

Unannounced adhesive protests in Munich punishable

The group itself announced that the two activists had covered each other with paste in protest against tightening of the rules by the city of Munich.

Since Saturday, calling for unannounced adhesive protests on the streets of Munich is punishable by law until the beginning of January.

According to the police, Wednesday's protest also violated the ban.

The "Last Generation" has been demonstrating for almost a year with road blockades for a radical climate change.

There were also campaigns in museums, stadiums, ministries, at airports and on oil pipelines.

The latter is the background to the investigations by the Neuruppin public prosecutor's office: it is about the fact that climate activists turned off valves on systems at the PCK oil refinery in Schwedt in north-eastern Brandenburg.

Raid in seven federal states

The public prosecutor's office in Neuruppin announced that there were indications that the "last generation" was characterized by a clear distribution of roles and a continuous structure.

There is a suspicion that the purpose of the grouping is at least aimed at committing crimes of "sufficient weight".

According to the public prosecutor's office, there had been searches in seven federal states on Tuesday.

The allegations are directed against eleven supporters of the "Last Generation".

The group emphasized: "People of the last generation will not be deterred by bans and prison sentences." Tuesday's raid was an "attempt at intimidation" and the government was trying to criminalize the protest.

The "last generation" is currently demanding the return of the 9-euro ticket and 100 km/h on the motorway.

They received encouragement from Linken boss Martin Schirdewan.

"Climate change is in full swing and we are approaching the 'point of no return'," said Schirdewan of the German Press Agency.

"In this context, I find it bizarre when young people who are stuck on the streets are accused of forming a criminal organization." He doesn't think every action is good either, but so far they have always been non-violent.

Künast: Protests and raids distract from the topic

The Greens member of the Bundestag, Renate Künast, doubts that the accusation of forming a criminal organization can be confirmed.

The purpose or activity of the group must then be aimed at committing crimes, said Künast on RBB Inforadio.

In fact, however, the actions were aimed at attracting attention or wringing concrete measures from politicians.

She criticized that both the protest actions and the raid distracted from the actual topic of climate protection.

"It really annoys me that we have to talk about it again."

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In the meantime, the police and public prosecutor's office in Berlin alone are processing more than 2,000 reports of roadblocks and other disturbances.

The governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) gave this number on Tuesday.

The police have worked more than 210,000 hours.

"It's a big effort for both the law enforcement agencies and the police." dpa