GERMANY: Police representatives, members of the court, and politicians in Germany are advocating for tougher sanctions for climate activists, including preventive detention and longer prison terms.
Letzte Generation has been protesting vehemently, with hundreds of its members obstructing routes in Berlin. Rainer Wendt, the head of the German police trade union, has appealed for the implementation of the “Bavarian model” across the nation.
Wendt argued that the longest period of preventative detention in Berlin is 48 hours and that the punishments are too lax. He argued that if the penalties are more severe, we will be able to handle this scenario.
Benjamin Jendro and Nancy Faeser, Germany’s interior minister, have urged the 16 states to adopt a common position on preventative detention to keep protests under control. They don’t want Bavarian-style regulations but more control.
Letzte Generation’s protests, known as “climate stickers” or “Klimakleber”, began more than a year ago and have included sit-ins, glue-ons, spray painting, chopping through fences, cutting off Christmas trees, throwing fake oil, tossing mashed potatoes at art pieces, and shutting off a gas pipeline.
The organisation’s primary goal is to draw attention to the impending climate disaster and persuade the government to take immediate action. It wants a people’s council of 150 Germans to develop solutions and offer them to parliament and a speed restriction of 130 km/h on highways.
The judge, Susanna Wortmann, stated that it was not acceptable for some segments of society to use their goals as justification for breaking the law. The 24-year-old design graduate testified that her protest was symbolic and that she and the other protester were confident the painting would not be harmed. She added that her involvement was not impulsive or frivolous and that it was done to highlight the danger of climate change inaction poses.
Three protestors were given jail sentences in Heilbronn for blocking traffic, with each receiving a sentence of several months. The defendants were charged with coercion and had the option of up to three years. Letzte Generation’s punishments have been criticised for being too harsh compared to other cases of irresponsible driving.
The German government has been critical of the Green Party’s conduct, with Katharina Dröge of the Green Party questioning how they intended to achieve their goals. Robert Habeck of the Green Party said the demonstration was improper and did not win a majority for climate protection.
Government officials have compared the organisation to the Taliban, Nazis, and RAF, a radical leftist guerrilla group that terrorised Germany in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bettina Jarasch rejected preventive detention, saying it was dubious and needed to be controlled. 86% disapproved of Letzte Generation’s protest strategies. Letzte Generation has been demonstrating for a longer period of time, with increased membership and public support due to the success of disruptive, nonviolent action.
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