Local court Ebersberg - Trial over abseiling action from bridge drags on
The trial over a sensational abseiling action by environmental activists from a highway bridge near Munich is dragging on at the Ebersberg district court. On Thursday, the court scheduled another hearing for December 20, according to a court spokesperson.
The defendants and their defense attorneys had previously submitted 20 motions for evidence. Among other things, according to the court, they requested that a climate researcher be questioned to prove in court that the polar ice caps are melting as a result of climate change.
The trial against the four defendants, who are alleged to have been involved in an abseiling action from a bridge over the 94 freeway more than two years ago during the IAA motor show, began on Wednesday. Since the highway was closed, the Munich II public prosecutor's office is accusing the 21 to 29-year-old defendants of 192 counts of coercion.
According to the indictment, two of the accused are said to have abseiled down from the bridge near Poing to attach a large banner with the words "ÖPNV statt Autobahnausbau" ("Public transport instead of highway expansion") on it. The other two are said to have been responsible for securing the bridge. A short time later, the police closed the road towards Munich for around two and a half hours. They did not comply with the request to stop the action, the public prosecutor's office found.
There had already been a date for the main hearing on May 3. However, this had to be suspended for procedural reasons, according to the district court.
According to the court, it should also be clarified by December 20 whether a drone that was seen in the area of the highway bridge came from the police or from representatives of the press or private individuals. If the police took footage at the time, it should be available by the next trial date, the court ordered.
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- The ongoing trial at the Ebersberg district court highlights the impact of demonstrations, as environmental activists faced charges for abseiling from a highway bridge in Bavaria during the IAA motor show.
- The traffic disruption caused by this action led to 192 counts of coercion against four defendants, according to the Munich II public prosecutor's office.
- The trial, which began on Wednesday, has seen various procedures and motions for evidence, including a request for a climate researcher to testify about the melting polar ice caps due to climate change.
- Though the German environmental policy encourages public transportation, these activists chose an unconventional method to advocate for "ÖPNV statt Autobahnausbau," leading to police intervention and traffic congestion on the highway.
- The trial resumed with another hearing scheduled for December 20, where it's expected that a drone footage related to the area of the highway bridge may be reviewed by the local court.
- Despite the ongoing trial, the case has drawn attention to controversial environmental policies and activism in Germany, demonstrating that these movements can lead to dramatizing events and legal consequences.
Source: www.stern.de
