The protest of the "Last Generation" movement at BER Airport causes cross-party shaking of heads. Even the fact that the activists want to take a break for now doesn't dampen the anger. The two FDP ministers Buschmann and Wissing are now following suit.
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann has again criticized the temporary blockade of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) by climate activists. "Anyone who violently cuts through a fence, enters an airfield and obstructs air traffic there is liable to prosecution in several respects," Buschmann told the "Bild am Sonntag". The police and judiciary must take decisive action against this. Violence as a means of political debate has no place in a democracy.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing announced that "exactly how the activists were able to get into the security area would be examined." The announcement of more powerful protests was "bold" after an airport had just been shut down, he criticized the "Bild am Sonntag".
Six activists belonging to the climate protest group "Last Generation" entered the airport premises on Thursday afternoon. Four of them stuck to the runway area. Air traffic on both runways therefore had to be temporarily suspended, and there were delays.
The airport association ADV rejected criticism of airport security on Friday. "The actions of those responsible for security at BER Airport have shown that with good and quick cooperation between the airport operator, police and air traffic control, danger for travelers, employees and protesters can be averted," the association said.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that he simply could not understand the actions. "They are not only incomprehensible, but also extremely dangerous, as one could see with the activities at BER, for example," said the chancellor at the state party conference of the SPD Brandenburg in Cottbus.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz described the participants in the BER campaign as "criminal offenders". "We must not trivialize such incidents," said Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke of the "Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung". The rule of law must and will act - he did not give any details. In Munich, meanwhile, all climate activists who were last in custody there have already been released.
