The raids against the "Last Generation" continued to heat up tempers. The Left Party is now planning to file a complaint against representatives of the Bavarian state government.
Munich - The Left Party wants to give Markus Söder's government a legal aftermath for the controversial raids against activists of the group "Last Generation": The state party is planning charges against "high-ranking politicians of the Bavarian state government". Bavaria's Left Party leader Adelheid Rupp located "the responsibility" for the searches and "confiscations against the climate protest movement" with these politicians - she probably has representatives of the CSU and Free Voters in mind. Rupp spoke of an "illegal" approach.
Rupp did not explain on Monday (29 May) against whom the complaint was to be directed when asked, the dpa reported. The Left Party wants to comment on further details at a press conference on Wednesday. According to its own statements, the party is planning to file the complaint together with other initiatives, lawyers and climate activists. The Bavarian elections will take place at the beginning of October.
Ex-Left Party leader Bernd Riexinger had already expressed harsh criticism of the procedure days ago. The Bavarian judiciary had "crossed a dangerous line," he said in a tweet: "If this sets a precedent, then it can hit any unpleasant political protest movement in the future." There was also resentment in the Union. Heinrich Strößenreuther, co-founder of the "Climate Union" expressed an "ideology" suspicion - he reprimanded the use of a "large-scale raid" against "harmless sandbox games".
"Last Generation" raids continue to make waves: "Treated like felons"
On Wednesday (24 May), around 170 officers searched homes and business premises in seven federal states in a raid against the "Last Generation", according to the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. The accusation is formation or support of a criminal organization.
The activists deny being criminals, although several have been convicted of crimes, some of them to prison terms. The raid was criticized by many as exaggerated. The group complained that its members felt they were being "treated like felons."
Hubert Aiwanger (left) and Markus Söder are among the critics of the "Last Generation" - the Left Party now wants to denounce its state government for the raids. © Stefan Puchner / dpa
Particularly controversial was the shutdown of the group's website with the note "The 'Last Generation' represents a criminal organization according to § 129 StGB". The authorities had to row back and later admitted that there was only an initial suspicion that it was a criminal organization.
However, there is also support for the actions of the authorities. "The approach of some climate activists has become increasingly radical in recent months. It is the task of the judiciary to react to this with the means of the rule of law and to enforce the legal system," said Sven Rebehn, Federal Managing Director of the German Association of Judges. The Berlin Senate Administration is also examining whether the climate group is a criminal organization. The Regional Court of Potsdam had recently confirmed an initial suspicion - however, it was not about road blockades, but about disruption of public operations and dangerous interference with air traffic.
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Söder's government in focus: Left plans to file a complaint - CSU has long been calling for a "clear edge" against activists
The "Last Generation" regularly draws attention to the consequences of global warming with sit-ins and actions in museums. Their members often stick themselves to roads or works of art - but potentially also hinder emergency vehicles. They are also accused of attacks on oil industry facilities. With its protest, the "Last Generation" wants to denounce climate policy deficits, for example with regard to the immense climate-damaging emissions from car traffic.
The head of the CSU state group in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, defended the handling of the Bavarian judiciary with the climate protest group at the weekend. "We have been witnessing for months that crimes are being committed here and that the group is becoming more radicalized," Dobrindt said t-online.de. "And that's why action must be taken against it to prevent potential contributors and imitators from doing so. With the clear indication: You are committing crimes, you will be held responsible for them."
Dobrindt had previously warned of the emergence of a "climate RAF". But Söder and his deputy prime minister Huber Aiwanger (Free Voters) had repeatedly expressed criticism of the protests of the group "Last Generation". "I think the state must also show a clear edge here," Söder said as early as November 2022. However, it is also still unclear how the left intends to establish a connection between the actions of law enforcement agencies and government actions. (dpa/fn
)