The break was probably short-lived. The climate activists of the “Last Generation” have announced further actions. Henning Jeschke, one of the group’s co-founders, said at a press conference on Friday that the target continues to be “the arteries of society”, i.e. various transport links. “There will continue to be interruptions at every turn,” Jeschke makes clear.
Carla Hinrich, spokeswoman for the group, added: “The resistance will become stronger. And it doesn’t stop at Christmas either, nor in the New Year. We will not let prison sentences stop us from fighting for a good future.”
Rainer Wendet, head of the German Police Union (DPolG), criticizes the announcement. “It is pure coincidence that no one has died as a result of the protests,” Wendt told the Augsburger Allgemeine. He demands consequences: “Of course, the activists must be observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, they want to weaken the democratic system.”
In Berlin and Munich, numerous activists were recently fined. In recent months, the “last generation” has repeatedly blocked streets with demonstrators who have been glued to the street, most recently at Berlin Airport. With their actions, the group demands a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour and a nine-euro train ticket for the whole of Germany. But it is precisely the form of the protest that causes a great deal of misunderstanding.
The conference of interior ministers has been discussing this for a few days. The results are to be presented in Munich at noon. According to the Bavarian department head Joachim Herrmann, there is agreement that the “serious crimes” committed by this group must be combated.
Munich and Berlin in particular are said to be affected by further protests. A young man from Munich announced a major blockade: on Monday at 8:00 a.m. on the “Street on Karlsplatz heading north, directly at the Stachus Ost taxi rank”.
The police in Munich are prepared: “Of course we will prepare accordingly. We will prevent disruptive actions or at least try to prevent them. But you have to evaluate that on the spot. Of course, it can also be that they appear somewhere else. We would prefer it if you register a meeting and announce there what you really want. But there are probably different opinions about it,” explains a spokeswoman for the Munich police headquarters.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently said: “I cannot understand these actions, they are not only incomprehensible, but also extremely dangerous, as you could see with the activities at BER, for example.”
