A member of the climate activist group “Last Generation” who is currently being held in the Stadelheim correctional facility (JVA) has gone on a hunger strike. This was confirmed by both the group and the Munich police. At their request, an investigating judge had ordered that the man must remain in custody until December 2 as a preventive measure. However, the information as to when the 47-year-old Wolfgang M. stopped eating is contradictory.
A spokesman for the “Last Generation” confirmed a tweet according to which the hunger strike had already started last Thursday, i.e. has already lasted a week; Wolfgang M. still drinks water. According to police spokesman Andreas Franken on Wednesday, however, the activist only refused to accept the food for the first time this Tuesday and announced to the prison management that he would be on a hunger strike from now on. He was “continuing his resistance to the federal government’s destructive course in the climate collapse,” said the “Last Generation” on Tuesday evening on Twitter.
Wolfgang M. has been involved in several protests by climate activists in Munich in recent weeks. On the one hand, he is part of the “Scientist Rebellion” movement, an association of scientists from all over the world. At the end of October, they demonstrated with actions at the financial investor Blackrock on Lenbachplatz, in front of the Palace of Justice on Stachus and in the BMW World on the Mittlerer Ring for more rapid climate protection measures by the federal and state governments. On the other hand, M. also took part in traffic blockades of the “last generation” and was one of those who stuck to the Stachus on the street. “As an environmental engineer, he is on strike for the coalition of Scientist Rebellion, Last Generation and Co.”, it says in the Twitter message.
There are currently 13 people still in custody in the prison
In the course of the protest actions in the past few weeks, the Munich police had obtained custody in a total of 33 cases from the Munich District Court. Most activists have since been released, with four activists being released at midnight on Monday. There are currently 13 people still in custody in the Stadelheim JVA, including Wolfgang M., who is on hunger strike. The police had applied for the maximum possible preventive detention of 30 days for them because they “had expressly announced that they would commit further criminal offences”, as stated in of a media release. It is also pointed out that the admissibility and duration of the deprivation of liberty are based on the Bavarian Police Tasks Act (PAG). However, this is highly controversial in legal circles. Constitutional lawsuits and complaints against the amendment of the PAG last summer are still pending; Critics consider the police measures granted therein to be disproportionate.
According to police spokesman Franken, however, none of the convicted activists have lodged a complaint or appeal against the detention: “The rights of those affected were protected by court-appointed or authorized lawyers,” said a media statement sent out in the afternoon.
According to the “Last Generation”, Wolfgang M. received a visit from representatives of the environmental movement for the first time on Wednesday, “he is doing well given the circumstances,” it said afterwards. Police spokesman Franken said that a hunger strike was nothing new for the Stadelheim prison. The patient is immediately presented to the medical service, examined, weighed and informed about the consequences of a hunger strike; then he will be “closely accompanied”.
A spokesman for the “Last Generation” said on Wednesday that Wolfgang M. would end his hunger strike immediately if any of the demands of the “Unite Against Climate Failure” coalition were met. Their demands include the government’s admission that the internationally agreed 1.5-degree target for global warming can no longer be met, a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour or the reintroduction of the nine-euro ticket.