A Union proposal for tougher punishment for climate activists who block roads and attack works of art has been rejected by all other parliamentary groups in the Bundestag. Nevertheless, MPs from the SPD, FDP, Greens and AfD on Thursday also criticized the roadblocks of the last generation, some of which were sharp, which had again led to considerable traffic disruptions in Berlin this week.
“All of this is not for the climate, but for the self-portrayal of people with an exaggerated sense of mission,” judged Stephan Thomae (FDP). The last generation must ask itself “when does justice become self-righteousness or complacency,” said Helge Lindh (SPD). AfD MP Thomas Seitz spoke of “climate criminals”.
Green MP Lukas Benner said he found the form of protest chosen by activists of the last generation counterproductive. However, the public uproar is disproportionate to what they are demanding – such as a 9-euro ticket for local public transport or a speed limit.
The climate activists “recognize our legal system,” said Clara Bünger (left). In addition, the Basic Law also protects meetings where other people could be deliberately disabled.
In its application, the Union had called for the penalties for dangerous interference in road traffic to be increased to imprisonment from three months to five years in order to appropriately punish the particular danger of the road blockades.
“The offense should be designed in such a way that the perpetrators are already punished if the blockade is suitable for endangering a person’s life and limb,” the application continued. Günter Krings (CDU) said that people who stick to the streets for their climate protection demands acted “arrogantly and cynically”. After all, it’s about the freedom of movement of millions of people. (dpa)
