Berlin’s new justice senator, Felor Badenberg, clearly condemns the actions of the “last generation”: “As a society, we cannot approve of the fact that people here want to use violence to get their way. I find that absolutely irresponsible.”
After the raid on the climate protection group Last Generation, Berlin’s new justice senator Felor Badenberg (independent) described their blockade actions as “irritating” and “irresponsible”. “Who is responsible if someone comes to the hospital too late?” Badenberg told the German Press Agency. “As a society, we cannot approve of the fact that people here want to use violence to get their way. I find that absolutely irresponsible.”
Badenberg, who has been in the Senate for the CDU since April, called the actions of the climate activists “strange”. Of course it is good that young people are interested in politics, take to the streets and demonstrate. “What irritates me about the Last Generation is the form of protest they choose. I find it stressful that the activists use violence – in the legal sense – to coerce other people every day.”
The senator also criticized: “There are people who cannot pick up their children from daycare on time, cannot get to their parents who need care, and business people who cannot keep appointments, miss flights and have financial losses.” Much more important for her is the fact “that ambulances and fire engines, among other things, are obstructed and arrive late,” said Badenberg. “We had cases where there was a suspected stroke with shortness of breath and heart problems, and where the ambulance arrived about 26 minutes later.”
In the ARD “Tagesthemen”, however, Badenberg said that the group could not be classified as a criminal organization as a whole, “but it’s always about the specific individual case, which the courts then have to evaluate”.
The Bavarian criminal police searched the homes of members of the last generation in seven federal states on Wednesday. It was about allegations against the group on suspicion of forming a criminal organization and preparing criminal offenses.
“Last Generation” a criminal organization?
Badenberg is also currently having its senate administration check whether the climate group is a criminal organization. The Berlin public prosecutor’s office did not consider this to be the case. The Potsdam Regional Court, on the other hand, had confirmed the initial suspicion of the formation of a criminal organization. However, it was not primarily about the road blockades, but about investigations into the disruption of public services and the dangerous intervention in air traffic. This related to attacks on the PCK refinery in Schwedt and a disruptive action at Berlin Airport.
The national manager of the German Association of Judges, Sven Rebehn, also emphasized: “Even a good cause such as climate protection naturally does not justify any criminal offenses. Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly end where criminal law begins.” Anyone who crosses this limit must answer to the judiciary. “The actions of parts of the climate activists have become increasingly radical in recent months. It is the task of the judiciary to react to this with the means of the rule of law and to enforce the legal system.”
Source: Stern
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