They are blocking roads and have attacked a refinery. Now objects of the “last generation” were searched nationwide, including one in Mannheim. The activists also encounter criticism.
Karlsruhe (dpa/lsw) – Investigators also searched an object in Mannheim as part of a nationwide campaign against the climate activists of the “Last Generation” group. According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior, one person is listed as the suspect. A spokesman could not initially say whether there had been an arrest. According to information from security circles, the suspect from Mannheim is said to have been involved in several crimes nationwide. Meanwhile, criticism of the climate activists is growing. “I don’t think their actions make sense,” said Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann on Tuesday.
According to his assessment, the “last generation” lacks the support of society. With their actions, they harmed the climate movement instead of benefiting it, said the Green politician. It’s different with Greenpeace and its actions: “The population was behind it, and there were masses of people.” The purpose of civil disobedience is to appeal to the majority to change something. This is exactly what Greenpeace was aiming for.
The Protestant state bishop in Baden, Heike Springhart, also considers individual actions by the activists that deviate from legality “not particularly suitable”. But she can understand the motives behind it, climate protection is an urgent issue – also for other regions in the world. She took the actions of the activists as a sign of a broken thread of patience.
With searches in several federal states, the police and the public prosecutor’s office took action against the “last generation” on Tuesday. Raids in the cities of Mannheim, Leipzig and Cottbus became known. Apartments and other rooms in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony were affected. Some of the federal states were named by the group. Eleven members are targeted by the investigators, five are currently in so-called preventive custody to prevent further acts.
The lead lies with the public prosecutor’s office in Neuruppin, Brandenburg. According to the authority, investigations are being carried out into disruption to public services and suspected formation of a criminal organization. The reason is therefore several attacks by climate activists on plants at the refinery PCK Schwedt (Brandenburg). Among other things, the oil supply was interrupted. A criminal organization could be formed if the accused repeatedly agreed to commit crimes.
The group, however, sees itself exposed to “attempts at intimidation”. You try to silence them. “We have been insulted, convicted, imprisoned. With the investigation into the formation of a criminal organization, this is reaching a new level.” The real problem is the government’s actions in the climate crisis: “It’s a breach of the law. It’s unconstitutional. It’s criminal.”
