- Kretschmer wants tougher penalties for climate change
Saxon Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) advises harsher penalties for climate activists disrupting airports. "Downplaying climate radicals must stop. Those who paralyze the nerve centers of democracies deserve harsh punishment, regardless of whether a specific threat occurred and even without proving individual financial damages," he told the German Press Agency. Some politicians still act as if these actions are somehow justified. "They're not, from the perspective of the overwhelming majority in Germany."
According to Kretschmer, the further development of penalties for so-called "climate glue activists" should consider the significant economic costs, such as airport closures. Rail and air traffic are as crucial for trade, economic activity, and society as road traffic. "Penalties and their severity must ultimately have a general preventive deterrent effect. I will raise this topic in the Minister Presidents' Conference and the Bundesrat. My goal is to provide the rule of law with a consistent sanctions tool."
Activists from the climate initiative Letzte Generation continued their protests in recent days. On Thursday, members glued themselves to several runways. In Nuremberg, flight operations were initially suspended but resumed later in the morning. In Cologne/Bonn, flight operations were also temporarily disrupted due to the protest action, according to police reports.
The climate initiative Letzte Generation, famously known for their activism, recently disrupted flights in both Nuremberg and Cologne/Bonn, with their members gluing themselves to runways in Dresden as well. These disruptive actions have significant impacts on the economy and societal activities, including air and rail traffic.
