Two climate activists were absent from a court hearing on Monday. The reason: The two traveled to Southeast Asia. Double standards or a private matter – what do the Germans say? And the “Last Generation” has again commented on the case.
Two activists from the “Last Generation” apparently skipped a court date on Monday. The reason: According to a report by “Bild”, the two are on vacation in Bali. Taking to the road to protect the climate but embarking on a long-haul flight to Bali? This contradictory behavior causes discussions throughout Germany.
A spokesman for the last generation defended the activists’ climate-damaging trip to “Bild” with the words: “They booked the flight as private individuals, not as climate protectors. You have to keep that separate.” Double standards or a private matter – that’s what citizens say about the incident.
The journalist and managing director of “Democracy in Work”, Stephan Anpalagan, is annoyed on Twitter: “Anyone who glues themselves to the streets for climate protection and then misses a court date because they flew on vacation in Bali has all the malice in the world earned”.
FOCUS online reader Claudia Bischoff-Wanner is similarly outraged: “The usual hypocrisy and double standards. climate protection? flight shame? Save CO2? In principle yes, but that applies above all to the others, I myself have to go on vacation in Bali first.”
Twitter user Livia Class is particularly bothered by the lack of a court hearing: “The flight is one thing, but the finger in the direction of the court is another”. The consequence of this is for the activists only an invitation to the next talk show, according to Class.
FOCUS columnist Jan Fleischhauer writes on Twitter: “Important note from @AufstandLastGen . The next time you are asked about the carbon footprint of a trip: point out that you were traveling as a private individual and not as a climate protectionist, then everything is okay”. Twitter user Christoph Preuss also describes this as a life hack.
The economist Jan Schnellenbach draws a historical comparison on Twitter: “The way in which the climate scene here defends the holiday flights of the last generation to Bali is strongly reminiscent of the way in the 80s the Bhagwan disciples owned the 100 Rolls Royce by their guru defended”.
Climate protection activist and author Maurice Conrad sees it quite differently. He criticized the debate behind the Bali vacation of the two activists on Twitter: “It reveals how large parts of the media society are cognitively unable to distinguish between political demands (climate agreement) and consumer criticism / renunciation”.
In this regard, satirist Sebastian Hotz draws an ironic comparison on Twitter: “Climate activists flying to Bali?! What’s next?? Car companies that advertise with environmental protection???!!!?”
FOCUS online reader Ronald Haln is not surprised by the double standards. He writes: “Climate activist Mrs. Neubauer in the FridaysforFuture movement at the forefront, had no problems with long-distance travel to pursue her hobby (surfing).”
Bianca Stedling, FOCUS online reader, suggests charging the activists of the “last generation” for all the damage they caused. Then the activists would no longer have the money to damage the climate with their holiday flights, Stedling continues.
In the meantime, the “Last Generation” has spoken again in a press release. In it they state that the activist arranged his absence with the court and then traveled to Thailand. He wanted to spend “several months” there with his girlfriend.
On the one hand, it remains unclear for what purpose they are there. And also whether they flew to Bali and Thailand or just to Thailand. The press release states that one can “understand” “that negative feelings are triggered – especially among people who live ecologically consciously – when protesters from the last generation get on a plane. Many of us are like that.”
But then the “Last Generation” counterattacked. It was just a “hair found in the soup”. This is “expectable”. And that is still sad, “in view of the catastrophe that we, as the last generation, are trying to prevent before the tipping points”.
The statement goes on to say: “And let’s be honest: isn’t it a double standard to be ‘climate chancellor’ and to dig up Lützerath? Isn’t it a double standard to find climate protection important but not wanting to have wind turbines in Bavaria? Isn’t it a double standard to sell motorway expansion as a solution to the climate crisis? To see speeding on the Autobahn as a freedom, a freedom that others will pay with their lives for?”
In September, Luisa S. and Yannik S. blocked commuter traffic in Stuttgart with other activists and stuck to the B10. Luisa S. was to appear as a witness and Yannik S. as the accused before the Cannstatt district court.
In the center of Hamburg, climate activists from the organization “Last Generation” have again glued themselves to the street. They blocked the entrance to the Kennedy Bridge. Some angry motorists didn’t want to put up with that. Instead of waiting for the police to intervene, they took action themselves.
Activists from the “Last Generation” disrupted a wedding fair in Aalen on Sunday and staged a funeral march with children’s coffins and grave lights. The indignation at the protest is huge – especially parents who actually had to bury their newborn children are shocked.
