Oil poured over activist? Proceedings discontinued
The public prosecutor's office has closed an investigation against a policewoman over an incident at a climate demonstration in Mannheim. It is alleged that the officer deliberately poured oil over the head of an activist, which was intended to dissolve glue. The authorities announced on Thursday in Mannheim that no criminal conduct on the part of the woman had been established.
"During the investigation, there were no sufficient indications that the police officer's behavior had caused damage or injuries that would constitute damage to property or bodily harm," it said. No criminal charges have been filed. "Stuttgarter Zeitung" and "Stuttgarter Nachrichten" had previously reported on this.
The Last Generation had published videos of the incident on the Konrad Adenauer Bridge on September 2 on the Internet. The group also raised accusations regarding the treatment of the activists in police custody, for example during body searches. According to the public prosecutor's office, investigations into this are still ongoing.
The Last Generation stated: "How and whether the people who were subjected to degrading treatment in Mannheim deal with it legally is their private matter." The group does not tell anyone how to proceed in such a case.
"Our peaceful protest creates tension and triggers pressure," it continued. "The behavior of the Mannheim officer is an example of how the authorities are overwhelmed by this." The protests can only be ended by a political solution: "The federal government must stand on the ground of our constitution and end the use of coal, oil and gas by 2030."
The closure of the investigation against the policewoman serves as a reminder that demonstrations, like the ones against climate change, can lead to intense scrutiny of law enforcement actions. Regardless of the ongoing investigation into the treatment of activists in police custody, there have been no conclusive findings of criminal conduct regarding the oil incident.
Source: www.dpa.com
