Carla Hinrichs - Sentenced to probation for pasting campaign in Frankfurt: 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.
Frankfurt court sentences Carla Hinrichs to two months in prison on probation
The appeal proceedings concerned a conviction against Hinrichs from 2023. The 26-year-old allegedly 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, sometimes 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.
Last Generation spokeswoman would accept fine in retrospect
With the announcements on social media and further blockade action, she may have tripped herself up, Kirschbaum told the defendant. "It's one thing to walk out of court as a young person and be angry and write 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 blockade actions by the Last Generations.
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."
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Despite the rejection of her appeal and the imposition of the original suspended sentence, Carla Hinrichs, the Last Generation spokesperson, expressed regret for her actions that led to a blockade on a Frankfurt street. She stated that she would likely accept the initial fine if given the chance, acknowledging potential consequences if she were to repeat similar actions on Frankfurter Straße.
Source: www.stern.de
