Thursday, August 15, 2024 Climate activists in Germany, part of the “Last Generation” group, caused significant travel disruption by staging protests at several major airports across the country. Early this morning, activists targeted airports in Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart, leading to temporary halts in flight operations. In Cologne-Bonn, flights were suspended after two protesters attached themselves to the runway, although services later resumed.
Similar disruptions occurred at other airports, with protesters being removed and detained. The group, which focuses on demanding urgent government action to end the use of fossil fuels by 2030, has been increasingly active in targeting transportation infrastructure in their protests. Their actions come amidst rising tensions and legal responses, as the German Cabinet recently approved legislation to impose harsher penalties for such intrusions, including potential prison sentences of up to two years for those who deliberately disrupt airport operations.
These protests are part of a broader campaign by the “Last Generation” activists, who see themselves as fighting to prevent catastrophic climate change. Despite the disruptions, the group’s actions have sparked a nationwide debate on the balance between environmental activism and public safety..