Status: 27.11.2023, 12:58 p.m.
By: Nadja Zinsmeister
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In July, truck driver Tobias H. hit a climate activist of the "Last Generation" with his vehicle. He was convicted of this. Now, for the first time, he is speaking publicly about the case.
Stralsund – Four months after a truck driver hit a climate activist of the "Last Generation" in Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 41-year-old Tobias H. is now challenging his court ruling with a lawyer. The man must forgo his driver's license, which he has already surrendered, for a year and pay a fine of several thousand euros.
After the incident in July, H. was accused of attempted bodily harm, intentional dangerous interference with road traffic and coercion, as a spokesman for the Stralsund public prosecutor's office announced in October. With the fine (90 daily rates) decided by the court, H. escaped a previous conviction that applies from a fine of more than 90 daily rates or a custodial sentence of more than three months.
Incident at action of the "Last Generation": Truck driver apparently receives job offers and donations
Even then, the spokesman said that the accused could still appeal. Then there would be a court hearing. According to his own statement, the 41-year-old now wants to pursue this possibility. As his lawyer confirmed in an interview with Bild, he and his client appealed the verdict. According to his own stories, Tobias H. had come under "enormous time stress" on the day in question and had initially tried to avoid the climate activists of the "Last Generation" via a bus lane when they placed themselves on the street. However, since they were aware of his intentions, they quickly blocked this path as well. In the process, the truck driver had to perform emergency braking so as not to injure anyone.
Incident four months ago: A truck driver hits a climate activist with his vehicle. © Screenshot/Twitter @AufstandLastGen
Tobias H. told the newspaper: "I didn't notice that the climate activist then sat down on the road again when I drove up. When passers-by pointed it out to me, I stopped immediately." After the incident, he continued to drive to work through his orders. According to his own statement, the man was delivering urgently needed gases for medical operations at the time. A short time later, the 41-year-old found a video of himself on the Internet and reported to the police. He was laid off by his haulage company and has been unemployed ever since.
Tobias H., however, experiences a lot of solidarity, as he continues. He not only receives job offers from freight forwarders from all over Germany and sometimes even France, but also personal encouragement, including from colleagues, local politicians and medical professors. In addition, according to his lawyer, the 41-year-old is said to have received donations in the five-digit range. "I would like to thank all the supporters. They give me courage," says Tobias H.
Truck driver hit climate activists of the "last generation" - accident experts raise questions about the case
Meanwhile, assessments by accident experts raise questions about the incident with the "climate adhesives" in July. According to the police, the truck driver is said to have dragged three participants who were obstructing his journey off the road and threatened them with beatings. Then the man got behind the wheel and drove off briefly. While Tobias H. claims not to have seen the activist of the "Last Generation" on the street, he should have been able to recognize him in view of the equipment in the truck. "In trucks, so-called front and ramp mirrors are required by law," an expert told Bild. It is precisely these mirrors that allow the driver to look directly in front of the cab as well as next to the vehicle door. "If the driver was using these mirrors, he definitely should have seen the protester."
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The public prosecutor's office is conducting further investigations, including against the activists of the "Last Generation" on suspicion of coercion and violation of the Assembly Act. The case of the motorist had caused fierce debates on social media. There was also understanding for the attitude of the truck driver. He asserted that he was sorry for the incident and that he was under enormous stress on the day of the incident. (nz with dpa material)
Again and again, actions by adhesive activists for the climate escalate: Most recently, a truck driver in Hamburg apparently kicked an activist in the stomach, and in an incident in Linz, a truck driver sat on an activist.