On Saturday, six climate activists were apprehended in Germany after they unauthorized entered the Munich airport and subsequently adhered to the access routes leading to the runways, according to officials. It led to the temporary suspension of the airport and the cancellation of approximately sixty flights during a busy holiday weekend.
According to the German news agency dpa, the activists from the German-based group Last Generation, which has conducted comparable demonstrations in the past, were protesting against aircraft, the most environmentally harmful mode of transportation.
The group displayed members on what appeared to be a runway or tarmac with protest banners in a series of posts on X, which was previously known as Twitter, according to Reuters. The group reported that six individuals had occupied the airport tarmac in an effort to obstruct aircraft.
One of the signs read, “The issue is not our holiday; it is the government.”
They accused the German government of “de-emphasizing” the negative environmental consequences of air travel, as opposed to “acting sincerity.”
A spokesperson for the airport stated that arriving flights were redirected to alternative destinations. The airport’s two runways were reopened after a few hours; however, flight schedule disruptions are conceivable, according to a statement on the airport’s official website.
The demonstrations were condemned by the Minister of the Interior of Germany, Nancy Faeser, who demanded that they be put to an end. She wrote on X, “Such illicit activities imperil climate protection and air traffic because they elicit only indignation and ignorance.”
Fraser also praised the police’s efforts to restore order at the airport and urged for an assessment of airport safety protocols.
The actions of the climate activists were vehemently denounced by Ralph Beisel, the general manager of the German Airports Association.
“Intruding into the aviation security area is not a trifling offense.” “He informed DPA that hundreds of thousands of passengers were unable to commence their Pentecost holiday in a relaxed and punctual manner.”
Furthermore, Beisel promoted the implementation of more severe sanctions against activists who disrupt terminals.
In July, climate-related activities resulted in the obstruction of aircraft at Hamburg and Duesseldorf airports for a period of several hours.
In January, Last Generation, which is infamous for its practice of affixing itself to streets to obstruct traffic, proclaimed that it would no longer employ this strategy and instead will organize “disobedient assemblies.” This practice has incensed numerous Germans. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has characterized their conduct as “utterly irrational,” and it has generated significant disapproval.
