Verdict - Last Generation spokeswoman sentenced to probation
The spokesperson for the climate group Last Generation, Carla Hinrichs, has been sentenced to a suspended prison sentence of two months in an appeal trial at Frankfurt District Court. "She has it in her own hands whether or not she goes back to prison at some point," said presiding judge Jochen Kirschbaum on Wednesday evening after around seven hours of hearings. Her appeal was rejected and the original sentence from last year was imposed again. The public prosecutor's office demanded a fine of 80 daily rates of 10 euros. The verdict is not yet final.
The appeal proceedings concerned a conviction against Hinrich from 2023. The 26-year-old is alleged to have blocked a Frankfurt street in 2022 and taped herself up during the protest. The blockade resulted in a major traffic jam. The activist was issued with a penalty order for 60 daily rates of 30 euros each.
She lodged an appeal against this. The district court in Frankfurt am Main finally sentenced her to two months in prison on probation in May last year. After the verdict, the young woman appealed.
Hinrichs described, partly in tears during the trial on Wednesday, that she had grown up climate-conscious. "I am convinced that I did the right thing," she said in reference to the blockade in 2022.
With the announcements on social media and further blockade action, she might have given herself a leg up, Kirschbaum told the defendant. "It's one thing to walk out of court as a young person and be angry and make spontaneous posts." It is another to seek media publicity and announce new protest actions several days after a conviction and ignore verdicts.
Hinrichs stated that he would probably accept the original fine today instead of taking the risk of a previous conviction. She would consider further Last Generations blockade actions.
In the run-up to the trial on Wednesday, Hinrichs also posted on X (formerly Twitter): "On my way to Frankfurt. Tomorrow I'm standing in front of the district court. 2023 was the hottest year since weather records began. 2024 begins with the prosecution of those who peacefully protest against further warming."
Tweet Hinrichs from 02.01.2024
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- The suspended prison sentence was handed down by the Frankfurt District Court as part of the appeal proceedings against Carla Hinrichs, the spokesperson for the climate group Last Generation.
- The regional court in Frankfurt on the Main initially sentenced Hinrichs to two months in prison on probation in May 2023, following her conviction for blocking a Frankfurt street and taping herself up during a protest.
- The public prosecutor's office in Germany had initially demanded a fine of 80 daily rates of 10 euros, but this was rejected in the appeal trial.
- The appeals process against Hinrichs' initial penalty order, which included a fine of 60 daily rates of 30 euros each, was lengthy and resulted in further judgments being handed down.
- Hinrichs' actions, which included blockages and public demonstrations, were seen as criminal acts under German law, leading to her initial conviction and subsequent appeal trial.
- Hinrichs' appointment as spokesperson for Last Generation has sparked controversy, with some arguing that her actions are undermining the group's efforts to promote climate awareness and action.
- The latest judgments from the Frankfurt District Court have reignited debates about the role of activism in promoting climate change solutions and the limits of civil disobedience in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
