Investigators searched 15 properties in seven federal states in a raid against the “Last Generation”. According to the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office, it is about the organization of the climate activists and the use of the donations.
On behalf of the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office and the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office, investigators carried out a nationwide raid against the “Last Generation” climate protection group on Wednesday. A total of 15 properties in seven federal states were searched. Four of these searches took place in Berlin, three each in Bavaria and Hesse. In addition, accounts were confiscated and assets secured.
The background to the operation is an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, which is said to be directed against a total of seven suspects between the ages of 22 and 38. They are being investigated for the allegation of forming or supporting a criminal organization. According to the prosecution, the procedure was initiated “due to numerous criminal complaints from the population that have been received since mid-2022”.
Last generation to finance crimes with donations
Specifically, the accused are charged with organizing a fundraising campaign to finance “further crimes” for the last generation, advertising this on their website and thereby collecting at least 1.4 million euros in donations. The money was also mainly used to commit other crimes, it said.
Glued, sprayed, walked
With God’s blessing and scientific solidarity: The last generation won’t let Berlin rest
A picture is circulating on social media that reads in German and English: “The homepage of the ‘last generation’ was confiscated by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office on behalf of the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office – Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism (ZET). The last generation is a criminal organization according to §129 StGB!” A spokesman for the LKA Bavaria has the star confirms the authenticity of this image. Only for technical reasons is it not yet visible on the homepage of the last generation. The text comes from the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General wants to evaluate organization
The Munich Attorney General: “The last generation calls for crimes and recruits specifically for the crimes shown.” It has now been proven that the blockades are coercion. “Now the second stage is about evaluating the organization behind it beyond the individual crimes.”
Two suspects are also suspected of having tried to sabotage the oil pipeline between Trieste and Ingolstadt in April 2022. According to the Attorney General’s Office, the aims of the raid were to find evidence of the membership structure of the last generation, to further clarify their financing and to secure assets.
“Last Generation” calls for protest marches
After the large-scale crackdown on the last generation, the climate protection group has vehemently denied being criminal and is calling on supporters to take part in protest marches. Aimée van Baalen, spokeswoman for the activists, called on all citizens to take part in protest marches in many cities next Wednesday at a press conference on Wednesday. A demonstration was supposed to take place in Berlin this Wednesday.
“The 15 house searches have hit all supporters hard. They scare us, but we must not remain in this fear,” said van Baalen. “Do we first have to experience a drought in Germany, suffer from food shortages (…) before we understand that the last generation is responsible for all of our lives and that this is not criminal?” the spokeswoman continued to criticize. The climate protection group wants to continue to resist.
Police union welcomes searches
The German police union welcomed the searches. “The judiciary is taking action, that’s the right signal from a well-fortified constitutional state,” said Federal Chairman Rainer Wendt. “The population, who suffer thousands of times every day from the street terror of these self-proclaimed climate saviors, is finally being perceived as the actual victims of these criminals.”
Left vice leader Lorenz Gösta Beutin, on the other hand, called the raid “completely exaggerated”. The last generation relies “on peaceful civil disobedience to draw attention to the climate catastrophe and the failure of the federal government”.
“Left” refers to the Federal Constitutional Court
He wonders when there will be a raid on federal ministers and “all those who ignore the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court of 2021 by braking on climate protection,” explained Beutin. In April 2021, the highest German court ruled that future generations have a fundamental right to climate protection.
The Berlin Senator for Justice Felor Badenberg (independent) is meanwhile also examining whether the last generation can be classified as a criminal organization. “Here, other people are forced into legal violence every day,” she said about the blockades on the Berlin-Brandenburg radio station.
In Brandenburg, too, investigations are underway into suspected formation of a criminal organization against the Last Generation. The public prosecutor’s office in Neuruppin had apartments searched in December.
Sources: DPA, AFP, (Paid content), .
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.
