German Climate Activists Conduct Daily Roadblocks Despite Opposition: Letzte Generation Raids and Protests

• Joey Frankhuisen

  Berlin office

Where climate activists in the Netherlands sporadically block a road, this is a daily occurrence in Germany. The action group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) is responsible for this. The climate activists increased the number of roadblocks in the past month.

For months, the discussion whether the action group should be labeled as a criminal organization. Letzte Generation sees parliamentary democracy as unsuitable for tackling the climate crisis and holds civil disobedience in high esteem.

The police raided fifteen homes of climate activists this morning. No arrests were made. Police are looking for people, aged 22 to 38, suspected of raising funds to finance crimes. Two activists are also suspected of sabotaging an oil pipeline in April last year. The website of the action group has been taken down by the police.

Max Wallstein, press officer of Letzte Generation, says that all members are very shocked by the police raids. Wallstein: “We carry out all our actions transparently and peacefully. We are being criminalized now, but the real danger lies with the people who are still not doing enough to combat climate change.”

In response to the raids, Letzte Generation announced multiple protest marches. On their Twitter channel, the climate activists ask when the government’s fossil funds will be seized.

The raids come a month after Letzte Generation announced that it would significantly increase the number of actions in Berlin. They regularly block more than ten roads a day. The motto: we want to stop traffic in Berlin, to get the government moving.

In concrete terms, Letzte Generation is demanding, among other things, that a speed limit of one hundred kilometers per hour be introduced on German motorways and that Germans can make unlimited use of public transport for nine euros a month. They also want the establishment of a citizens’ council to develop emergency measures.

It is not known exactly how many members Letzte Generation has. The group itself says that some 1200 activists are actively participating in the actions.

A survey shows that Letzte Generation is not popular. Three quarters of the Germans do not support their actions. Only five percent fully support their actions.

According to sociologist Dieter Rucht, who studies social movements and political protests, this is due to the way the movement conducts action. Rucht: “The vast majority of Germans are in favor of a stricter climate policy, but deliberately breaking the law is not well received. In addition, Germans are afraid that the actions will distract from the theme of climate protection.”

Raphael Thelen, full-time climate activist for Letzte Generation, says the opinion of the German people makes no difference to them. “The constitution states that the government is obliged to protect the climate. We want to force the government to comply. People can disagree with the actions, but a majority is not necessary.” Before Thelen fully devoted himself to climate activism, he was a climate journalist for various magazines, including der Spiegel and die Zeit.

According to Rucht, it is no coincidence that this movement originated in Germany in particular. Rucht: “One reason is that the climate movement in Germany has been very large for a long time. Many climate movements preceded Letzte Generation. The anti-nuclear energy movement played an important role in phasing out nuclear energy and also deliberately broke the law to achieve this. Another reason that the German industry emits many harmful substances.”

Sociologist Rucht finds it difficult to say whether the actions of Letzte Generation can really bring about change. “Many people in Germany are in favor of climate protection and there are also many climate movements in addition to the Letzte Generation,” says Rucht. “In addition, there are large political parties in the government that want a stricter climate policy. Changes will not only come from a small group like Letzte Generation, but from various factors.”