Even two days following the blockade of the German capital’s BER airport by climate activists, the criticism continues. CDU leader Friedrich Merz described the participants today as “criminal offenders”.
“We must not trivialize such incidents,” said Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) of the “Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung” (Saturday edition). The rule of law must and will act – he did not give any details.
Activists from the “Last Generation” group gained access to the capital’s BER airport on Thursday and temporarily paralyzed air traffic. Some got stuck on the tarmac. The Brandenburg State Criminal Police Office is investigating six activists for dangerous interference in air traffic, disruption of public services, trespassing and property damage, among other things.
“boundary exceeded”
Woidke said that a limit had been exceeded with the action at BER Airport at the latest. The activists consciously accept the endangerment of people and structures in order to draw attention to themselves. This harms the important concern of climate protection.
According to CDU leader Merz, the actions have nothing to do with the right to demonstrate or freedom of expression. “These are the most serious crimes that discredit the goal for which they are supposedly going to the airport,” he said at a party conference of the Berlin CDU. The group, which has recently repeatedly blocked roads, is achieving the opposite of what it actually claims to want to achieve.
19 activists released from police custody
In Bavaria, meanwhile, 19 activists who were involved in tape actions in Munich have been released from police custody. One had come to the conclusion “that the conditions for detention are no longer met, i.e. that further criminal offenses by those in custody are not to be expected, at least not for the time being,” said a spokesman for the Munich police headquarters.