Berlin’s climate protection senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) has criticized the protest actions of the climate activists of the “Last Generation” group. “I have every sympathy for young people who are afraid of the future because we are running out of time when it comes to climate protection,” Jarasch told the Tagesspiegel.
But it must be a question of how to become faster in climate protection with very specific measures and how to organize majorities for this. “My impression is that the ‘last generation’ is not succeeding with their actions and that in the end we are discussing more about security and order, about police operations or traffic jams than about how we are actually making progress on climate protection.”
If criminal offenses are committed, they must of course be prosecuted.
Climate Protection Senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) on the protest of the climate activists “Last Generation”
Jarasch demanded that the climate activists ensure that no other people would be endangered with their protest. “And if crimes are committed, they must of course be punished consistently,” said the climate protection and transport senator.
For almost a year, activists from the “Last Generation” group have been sticking themselves to the streets in Berlin and other major German cities to protest for more climate protection.
Starting this week, hundreds of climate activists from the group now want to bring Berlin to a standstill indefinitely. This is intended to force the federal government to take vigorous action to improve climate protection.
“We will end the protest as soon as the federal government convenes a social council,” said a spokeswoman. All activists are aware that they could end up in prison. They banded together to resist.
It starts from Wednesday to Friday with actions in the city center and in the government district. A rally at the Brandenburg Gate is planned for Sunday.
In the next two weeks, according to the previous plans, the group plans to bring the city to a “standstill” from Monday to Friday. On Tuesday, representatives of the “last generation” announced that they would continue to protest until the federal government gave in.
Most recently, the climate protection movement “Fridays for Future” had also distanced itself due to the wave of protests announced by the group. “The climate crisis needs solutions for society as a whole, and we can only find and fight for them together and not by pitting people against each other in everyday life,” said spokeswoman Annika Rittmann.
