Police raids across Germany target ‘Last Generation’ climate activists
Berlin, May 24 (EFE).- Police across Germany on Wednesday raided the homes of 15 climate activists, seven of whom are suspected of forming or supporting a criminal group.
The “Letzte Generation” (Last Generation) movement has held controversial protests and actions to draw attention to the climate crisis, such as disrupting traffic by sticking themselves to asphalt to block busy streets and attacking corporate and political party headquarters, as well as art museums, with paint.
Two of the suspects are also accused of attempting to sabotage an oil pipeline between Trieste (Italy) and Ingolstadt (Germany) in April last year.
Four of the raids were carried out in Berlin, three in Bavaria and three in Hesse, in addition to other actions in Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.
In the raids, which involved some 170 officers, the group’s website was seized and shut down, accounts were seized and assets were secured.
The suspects are additionally accused of organizing a fundraising campaign to finance “further crimes” that has so far collected at least 1.4 million euros in donations, investigators said.
“Letzte Generation” activists accuse governments of inaction in the face of the climate crisis.
The movement criticized the police raids and called for fresh protests.
“The 15 house searches have severely affected all supporters hard. They make us afraid, but this fear must not paralyze us,” spokeswoman Aimée van Baalen said at a press conference.
Van Baalen added that a march was scheduled to take place in Berlin on Wednesday by Last Generations activists, who accuse the government of “climate inaction.”
German interior minister Nancy Faeser, meanwhile, defended the raids, stressing that the rule of law must be complied with.EFE
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