Carla Hinrichs, spokeswoman for the "Last Generation", tells in the new 37° report on ZDF how stressful the protest actions are – and why she still wants to continue.
Berlin – "I ask myself all the time: Why do we have to do all this? But I can't help it." – Carla Hinrichs sits on the street with activists glued to a safety vest. The 26-year-old's voice trembles and she is visibly nervous. An angry motorist yells: "We have to go to work!" This is the beginning of the report 37° "Radical, hated, desperate" by Broka Herrmann, in which members of the "Last Generation" have their say – including the spokeswoman for the Action Alliance Carla Hinrichs. She also describes how stressful it is for her to be part of this movement.
Carla Hinrichs, spokesperson for the group "Letzte Generation", sits on the asphalt with a glued hand in Berlin (archive photo from May 16, 2023) during an action. © Paul Zinken/dpa
Sticking to the street for the climate – Carla Hinrichs suffers from psychological stress
Since the beginning of its actions at the beginning of 2022, the "Last Generation" has been associated with strong images: people gluing themselves to the streets for climate protection, dumping mashed potatoes on paintings or, as recently on Sylt, spraying a private jet with orange paint. They see themselves as the last generation that can still stop global warming – through civil disobedience and information events. In doing so, they attract a great deal of hatred through their protest actions. They are yelled at, insulted and dragged off the street. Hinrichs said in the report: "Sitting on the street is not easy, it is an incredible psychological burden, sometimes also physically."
You need a "thick skin" – protest leaves its mark on activists of the "last generation"
Hinrichs describes that she is very afraid during the actions. She also receives hostility via social media, including death threats. "I'm thinking about whether I have to stop because I'm going to break myself. At the same time, I also find a lot of strength to keep going," she said. In addition to her, other activists also have their say, such as Jakob Beyer, who was imprisoned in Munich for 30 days and had to watch on television that his apartment in Leipzig was searched by the police. As a result, he no longer feels safe at home. A woman and her daughter, who regularly take part in activities, also reach their psychological limits. "You need a thick skin to be insulted and spat on," she said. Especially during the road blockades, there is always hostility, physical and verbal.
Climate activists from the group "Last Generation" sit on a main road and block the passage. © Bernd Thissen/ dpa
Carrying on despite hatred: Carla Hinrichs and "Last Generation" are planning further actions
Despite the high burden and hatred they receive, the activists keep their demands in mind, support and encourage each other in order to persuade politicians to act for more climate protection.
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READMone area
- Demands of the "Last Generation"
- Speed limit of 100 km/h on German motorways
- Affordable public transport: reintroduction of the 9-euro ticket
- Introduction of a social council that develops measures for climate protection, which are to be brought to parliament by the federal government
Carla Hinrichs dropped out of her law studies for the "Last Generation" and is working on new strategies and new actions as part of the core team. "I don't know how much longer I'll be doing this. But it feels right," she said. (eike)