Climate activists paralyze Frankfurt air traffic for the second time
The police arrested eight activists, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Police. Seven of them had entered the security area of the Airport in the morning, one of them had previously hung themselves on a fence at the airport perimeter. The arrested individuals were later to be handed over to the state police. The operation to remove some of the glued-on activists took place in the morning, while normal flight operations resumed.
The Last Generation claimed responsibility for the blockade. The demonstrators had cut the fence around the airfield with pipe cutters. The group called on the Federal Government to "negotiate and sign a legally binding, international agreement that regulates the global exit from Oil, Gas and Coal by 2030".
The airport operations were halted according to the airport's announcement around 5:00 am. Out of the 1400 flights planned for Thursday, approximately 140 flights were cancelled. Additionally, there were expected to be further delays. Passengers were advised to check their flight status before traveling to the airport.
Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), condemned the actions of climate activists like those at the Frankfurt Airport as "dangerous, stupid and criminal". "Who blocks runways risks not only their own life but also endangers others and harms all passengers," Faeser wrote on X. "These actions must be dealt with sternly."
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) told the "Bild" newspaper that the climate activists were trying to cause "maximum damage". "The legislator must react with maximum force."
At Faeser and Wissing's suggestion, the Federal Cabinet had passed a draft law to amend the Aviation Security Act a week earlier. This new offense would criminalize unauthorized entry onto the runway and start-up and landing strips of an airport.
Penalties include up to two years in prison or fines. In cases where prohibited items such as weapons or corrosive and poisonous substances are brought in, the penalty is up to five years. The same applies if the intention is to commit another crime.
Hessian Minister-President Boris Rhein (CDU) also criticized the protest action severely: "These irresponsible and criminal climate chaos activists want to cause as much damage as possible," Rhein wrote on X. "And that at the expense of thousands of vacationers who look forward to a few days of holiday." Rhein also demanded harsh penalties.
The Airport Association ADV condemned the protest action as a "dangerous intrusion into air traffic". ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel called for "unacceptable legal loopholes in the prosecution of intruders" to be closed. The association supports the planned amendment of the Aviation Security Act.
Already on Wednesday, activists from The Last Generation had temporarily paralyzed the Cologne/Bonn Airport. They glued themselves to a runway field of the airport. They were removed by the police. Normal flight operations could be resumed after several hours. According to the airport association ADV, a total of 30,000 passengers were affected by the protests on Wednesday and Thursday.
Similar protests occurred at Heathrow Airport in London on Wednesday, where nine activists from the Just Stop Oil group were arrested. At Oslo Airport in Norway, a blockade by twelve activists took place. Reports of similar incidents came from Spain and Finland.
- The Federal Police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of eight climate activists at the Frankfurt am Main Airport.
- The Federal Government was urged by The Last Generation to negotiate and sign an international agreement to phase out Oil, Gas, and Coal by 2030.
- Volker Wissing, the Federal Transport Minister, deemed the actions of climate activists as attempting to cause "maximum damage" and called for the legislator to respond with "maximum force."
- The Hessian Minister-President, Boris Rhein, criticized the protest action at the Frankfurt Airport, stating that the climate activists were trying to cause damage at the expense of vacationers.
- The Airport Association ADV condemned the protest action at Frankfurt Airport as a "dangerous intrusion into air traffic" and called for the closure of unacceptable legal loopholes in the prosecution of intruders.
- Similar protest actions were observed at Cologne/Bonn Airport, Heathrow Airport in London, Oslo Airport in Norway, and airports in Spain and Finland, with activists gluing themselves to runways and causing disruptions.
- Frankfurt am Main Airport, like Cologne/Bonn Airport, experienced flight disruptions due to the climate activists' protest actions, affecting thousands of passengers.
