Climate change activist group faces increasing opposition in Germany

BERLIN (AA) – German politicians and officials called the activities of the Last Generation, a climate change activist group, “criminal violation,” saying their actions are affecting people’s daily life.

The activist group, which has disrupted both land and air traffic with their actions, is facing increasing opposition in Germany.

Established in 2021, it primarily operates in Germany, Italy, and Austria.

Its activists have organized a series of actions including road blockades and acts of vandalism, such as defacing yachts, well-known artworks, buildings, restaurants, and private jets.

What Last Generation is doing constitutes a criminal violation of the law. All of these actions are an imposition on the entire population, unacceptable, and should be severely punished, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissing stated in an interview with the General-Anzeiger newspaper.

Bavarian Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann described the recent actions of the activists as "fanatic, reckless, extremely undemocratic, and socially divisive."

Herrmann called for coordinated action against the activists nationwide, stating that he would raise the issue at a meeting with the interior ministers of the 16 states.

Jochen Kopelke, President of the German Police Union (GdP), accused the activists of fanaticism and expressed the need for a coordinated approach nationwide to effectively counteract the actions.

Kopelke said: "Next Generation is inciting people against themselves. The increasing fanaticism of the group is causing great concern."

Green Party member of parliament, Konstantin von Notz, also tweeted, saying: “Sabotaging people's daily lives is politically wrong and counterproductive to combating the climate crisis."

Last week, activists occupied the runways of airports in Hamburg and Düsseldorf, disrupting air traffic and causing thousands of vacationers to be stranded.