Politicians from the CDU/CSU are calling for tougher penalties and better protective measures for airports. The debate was triggered by the recent action by climate activists at Frankfurt Airport.
Climate protesters brought operations at Frankfurt Airport to a standstill for hours in the middle of the holiday season with a sticker campaign. The campaign caused flight cancellations, long queues and unsettled travelers. The blockade on Thursday morning reignited a debate about the security of German airports. “We must do everything we can to ensure that foreigners, activists and terrorists are not allowed access to our airports at all,” said Hesse’s Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU). Airport security must be reviewed.
After an action at Cologne/Bonn Airport on Wednesday, climate activists from the “Last Generation” targeted Frankfurt Airport. Several activists gained access to the site through a cut wire mesh fence and blocked the runways at various points, the group said. The activists were initially detained by officials and handed over to the Hessian state police after the site was cleared.
Frankfurt Airport: “Our process chains were there and worked”
However, since 7:50 a.m. (local time), all four runways have been open again and operations are running again, said a spokesman for the operator Fraport. Fraport spoke of around 140 flight cancellations. The number could increase further over the course of the day. Delays are also expected for the rest of the day.
Members of the federal government sharply criticized the actions of the climate activists. “These actions are dangerous, stupid and criminal,” said Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) on Platform X. “Anyone who blocks runways is not only risking their own life, but is also endangering others and harming all travelers.” Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) made similar comments.
Fraport announced that it would reserve the right to take legal action against the climate activists. In addition, the incident is being investigated, a spokesman for Frankfurt Airport told star upon request: “Today’s incident is being investigated by the Federal Police. We will of course take their findings into account. But our process chains were there and worked.”
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Criticism still comes from the Union. He says it is “incomprehensible that even with the current security situation it is possible to penetrate the security area of large airports within a few minutes,” says the domestic policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group, Alexander Throm (CDU). “The protection of critical infrastructure cannot be valued highly enough at the moment.”
Other politicians from the Union also called for tougher action against so-called climate stickers – and stricter security measures. “We not only need more police presence on site, but also a coordinated concept for a nationwide increase in security measures,” CDU/CSU parliamentary group vice-chair Ulrich Lange told the Reuters news agency. The airport company Fraport is also in focus. It is responsible for the external protection of the airport with the fence, emphasized Hesse’s Interior Minister Poseck.
The airport spokesman told the star: “The airport is fully secured, with an area comparable to a small town.” Around 30 kilometers of fence surround the site, motion detectors and cameras are in use. The police and a security service also patrol the site. “If someone tries to break in, an alarm chain is triggered and the authorities are quickly on the scene.”
Last generation paralyzes Cologne/Bonn Airport
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Faeser announces tougher penalties
But: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way and a fence like this is unfortunately not completely insurmountable – even if there are no gaps in our fence.” This makes downstream measures such as the deployment of police and airport security all the more important. They would react quickly to such incidents. “The entire security architecture has to be right. Not only the fence, but also the interaction with the authorities plays a major role. Frankfurt Airport complies with the legally required security measures.”
CDU politician Throm expects Interior Minister Faeser to make protection a top priority, to take concrete measures and to back them up with budgetary funds. “The airport operators must also be held accountable here,” he added.
Faeser announced tougher punishment for such blockades. “We have proposed severe prison sentences,” the minister stressed, referring to the planned tightening of the Aviation Security Act.
The Federal Cabinet had already introduced the tightening measures last week, but they have not yet been passed and therefore do not apply to the current incidents. According to this, “intentional, unauthorized entry” of the taxiway and runways, among other things, will in future be punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine. Previously, only a fine was envisaged.
Criticism from the Union: “Smokescreens”
The airport association ADV supported the government’s plans. The criminal liability gaps in the prosecution of intruders must be closed. Fraport also supports the plans: “We support the planned tightening of the Aviation Security Act. This will close loopholes and increase the penalties for such acts. This also serves as a deterrent,” the spokesman told the star.
The federal government also wants to force airport operators to implement better structural and technical security measures by means of a legal ordinance. “Airports must be secured much better. This applies in particular to fences, gates, cameras, sensors and signaling technology,” Faeser told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group.
A voluntary commitment failed due to resistance from two major airports, according to her ministry. Therefore, coordination with the states on a corresponding legal regulation has now been initiated. The police union is demanding uniform standards across the country. The airports cannot be secured with additional patrols alone.
But the Union does not think this goes far enough. Federal Transport Minister Wissing is throwing “smokescreens” when he refers to the reform of the Aviation Security Act that was approved by the Cabinet last week, said Günter Krings, the legal policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, on Thursday. Because, on balance, this will not lead to harsher punishments for the perpetrators.
“Upon closer examination, the government’s draft proves to be a sham,” explained Krings. “Such a sentence is inappropriately lenient,” criticized Krings. “A noticeably higher minimum sentence is required in order to achieve punishments that act as a deterrent.”
Wissing, for his part, pointed out that a higher penalty of up to five years was also envisaged. This applies, on the one hand, to cases in which intruders are carrying prohibited items such as weapons or corrosive or poisonous substances. On the other hand, the higher penalty can be imposed if there is an intention to facilitate or conceal another crime.
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.
