‘Stupid’ climate activists halt operations at German airports after breaking in

‘Dangerous’ and ‘stupid’ climate activists in Germany temporarily blocked operations at two airports on Thursday (Aug 15), in an attempt to force the government to ban the use of oil, gas and coal by 2030.

Activists from Letzte Generation broke into the landing strips of four airports at dawn: Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg, Berlin-Brandenburg, and Stuttgart. They were equipped with fence and bolt cutters. They managed to glue themselves to the asphalt and stop operations at two of them: Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn.

They also waved banners reading: “Oil kills” and “Sign the treaty”, in order to call on the German government to sign an international treaty to ban the use of fossil fuels by 2030. The airport operations resumed after all the protestors were detained and removed by police.

Interior minister condemns protest

The protest was vehemently condemned by Germany’s Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, who dubbed the activists as “dangerous and stupid.”

“These anarchists are risking not only their own lives, Letzte Generation’s argument but are also endangering others. We have recommended tough prison sentences. And we obligate airports to secure their facilities significantly better,” she wrote on X.

Also read: China woos German carmakers to avoid EV tariffs

The climate group defended its actions, saying the government’s inaction was putting people’s lives in danger.

“What’s dangerous is your political failure which is dragging us ever deeper into a catastrophe … we’re talking about our existence. About the lives of billions of people,” the group wrote on X.

Also read: Flying Tejas was a great experience, says German Air Force Chief

The group later said eight people were released by the police.

The disruption also attracted condemnation from airport association ADV, which said: “Today’s disruptions at several airports are a concerted act of criminal extortion. This is not a peaceful protest and it is not about supposedly higher goals.”

“These are malicious interventions in air traffic and in the personal rights of every traveller who is unable to take their flight as planned,” said DV’s managing director, Ralph Beisel.

Over the last few years, the German government has tightened the noose around climate protesters. During summers, German authorities raided homes of climate protesters in five cities and collected DNA samples, which Letzte Generation termed as “an attempt at intimidation”.

(With inputs from agencies)