SPD chairman
After controversial raids: Saska Esken stands behind “Last Generation”
SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken has warned against excessive action against climate protection activists.
© Tobias Schwarz / AFP
SPD leader Saskia Esken warns against excessively harsh action against the climate activists of the “last generation”. However, she does not see the movement uncritically either.
The SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken has warned against excessive action against climate protection activists. There is a risk of further radicalization of the movement, and that is why it is necessary for the security authorities to monitor it, Esken told the German Press Agency.
“In our constitutional state, however, it is important that the means used by the authorities are always proportionate and not excessive.” Meanwhile, the CSU in the Bundestag again justified the intervention of the authorities in Bavaria, among others, against the climate protest group Last Generation.
Esken said the concern of the climate protectors is quite important and she can understand the impatience of the young people. In the urgency but the danger of radicalization. “Because even if politics has moved significantly in recent years and the movement could see this as a success, everything we do seems too little and too late from this urgency.”
Although she can understand that many are angry about blockages on roads. But politicians must accept “that joining a party and going through the institutions is not the only way to get involved in politics”.
Activists deny allegations
The SPD leader emphasized that non-parliamentary, activist movements must also have their place in the democratic community. If the law is broken, it must be punished. “I find it unacceptable when coercion or even violence is used against people, and we also cannot accept the threat to public infrastructure caused by damage to property. There is a risk that this will continue to escalate.”
Police and public prosecutors raided the last generation last week. 170 officers searched 15 apartments and business premises in seven federal states, as announced by the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. The allegation is to form or support a criminal organization. The activists deny being criminals. The raid was widely criticized as excessive.
The head of the CSU in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, told the portal t-online (Saturday): “We have seen for months that crimes are being committed here and the group is becoming more radicalized.” Action must therefore be taken to discourage possible contributors and imitators. “With the clear indication: you commit crimes, you will be held accountable for them.”
For him, the last generation is clearly a criminal organization. “A criminal organization is characterized by the fact that people agree to commit crimes together and to do so repeatedly. This is clearly the case with the last generation.”
Next demonstration planned for Wednesday
However, it is disputed among lawyers whether the last generation can be classified as a criminal organization under Section 129 of the Criminal Code. There is no judicial determination on this yet. However, various public prosecutors are investigating in this direction. Others see no initial suspicion so far.
The last generation regularly draws attention to the consequences of global warming with sit-ins and actions in museums. Their members often stick to streets or works of art – but sometimes also obstruct emergency vehicles.
After the raids, the group reported rush to action preparations. “Countless people have registered for sit-in training for next week,” said an open letter published on Saturday and addressed to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The group announced on Friday that it would initially focus on demonstrations instead of road blockades. For Wednesday she called for participation in protest marches.