Last generation: UN calls for protection of climate activists after raid

After the crackdown on the Last Generation protest group, the United Nations has highlighted the importance of climate activists and their actions. “Climate activists – led by the moral voice of young people – have continued to pursue their goals even in the darkest of days. They need to be protected and we need them now more than ever,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who German Press Agency in New York.

“At key moments, protesters have been instrumental in persuading governments and business leaders to do much more,” Dujarric said. Without them, global climate targets would already be out of reach. However, Guterres’ spokesman also pointed out that despite the fundamental right to peaceful demonstrations, governments naturally have a responsibility to enforce the law and ensure security.

Last generation is said to be a criminal organization

Police and prosecutors raided the Last Generation climate protection group on Wednesday morning. Around 170 officers searched 15 apartments and business premises in seven federal states, as announced by the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. The charge is to form or support a criminal organization. The activists vehemently deny being criminals.

The group regularly draws attention to the consequences of global warming with sit-ins and actions in museums, and its members often cling to streets or works of art. They are also accused of attacking oil industry facilities. With their protest, the last generation wants to bring the deficits of German climate policy onto the agenda – for example with a view to the immense climate-damaging emissions from car traffic. The activists are calling for a so-called social council to plan the end of the use of fossil fuels in Germany by 2030. They also demand a speed limit of 100 km/h on the motorway and a 9-euro ticket.