The last generation group calls for more ambition in climate protection. Especially with blockades, the climate activists take their protest to the streets. A challenge for the police and the judiciary.
The ongoing protest by climate demonstrators in Berlin has meanwhile led to almost 2,000 cases at the public prosecutor’s office (as of May 10). This was announced by a spokeswoman at the request of the German Press Agency.
Around 1,790 cases are about actions by the Last Generation climate group, while the remaining cases are directed against members of the Extinction Rebellion organization.
In a total of almost 680 cases, proceedings at the public prosecutor’s office were combined because there were several allegations against the same person. According to the information provided, 86 judgments have been made so far, 40 of which are final.
As a rule, the climate activists were sentenced to fines, mostly for coercion and resistance to law enforcement officials. In one case, according to the public prosecutor’s office, the trial ended with an acquittal.
Public prosecutors rely on penal orders
At the end of April, however, there was a prison sentence for a climate activist in Berlin for the first time – without parole. The Tiergarten District Court sentenced a 24-year-old from Bavaria to four months in prison for a pasting campaign in the Berlin Picture Gallery. The judgment is not final. The defense attorney, who had asked for an acquittal, immediately appealed.
The public prosecutor’s office usually applies for the offenses to be punished by means of a penalty order, i.e. without a hearing. So far, this has been the case with members of the last generation in around 690 cases, it said. Charges have been raised in 23 cases so far. According to the information, almost 90 procedures are currently open. Around 310 cases were discontinued with a view to further allegations or because there was insufficient evidence.
New blockades announced
If an objection is filed against the penal orders that were initially issued, a hearing will be held before the Tiergarten District Court. This has been the case regularly for several months.
At the same time, the Berlin police are running hundreds of procedures related to the ongoing protest actions of the last generation. In April, the climate group intensified its protest in the capital. After focusing on training new supporters for the past few days, the group announced new lockdowns for this week.
According to a spokeswoman, in the period from April 16 to May 7 alone, the police registered 151 roadblocks, eight of them on freeways. In connection with this, 780 criminal proceedings (period from April 19 to May 10) have been initiated so far.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
