Security fence to BER severed – airport blockade could have serious consequences

Only a thin wire fence prevented members of the climate protest group "Last Generation" from entering the runway at Berlin Airport BER. In a video stream that the activists published on Twitter on Thursday evening, a person can be seen snipping open the mesh of the fence with pliers. Then several members of the group enter the security area of ​​the airport.

There, the activists glued themselves to the runway around 4 p.m. Another person rode a bicycle through the shunting area. As a result, air traffic had to be temporarily suspended. At 6:12 p.m., around two hours after the illegal entry, the situation was resolved. According to a spokesman for the airport, the first planes took off again from Berlin. The area had previously been "completely searched," he said.

The "Last Generation" announced in a press release that the action was directed against the federal government. “This negligently puts us on a collision course with climate tipping points. Fossil fuel subsidies, including for air travel, are sacrificing millions of lives right now for the profit and luxury of a few.”

The incident raises questions about airport security. It also marks a further radicalization of “last generation” protest methods. Benjamin Jendro, spokesman for the Berlin police union, said the action involved "dangerous interference with air traffic". The only penalties are imprisonment.

Rainer Wendt, Federal Chairman of the German Police Union, also told WELT that there was a serious criminal offense. "The damage to property and the trespassing are one thing, because of the danger to air traffic, remand could also be ordered."

Wendt believes that blockades at airports cannot be prevented in every single case. "With the right legal situation, as in Bavaria, you could order preventive custody," he said. In the federal state, people can be taken into preventive detention for 30 days to prevent imminent criminal offenses. The order against climate activists has so far been considered controversial.

In addition to the operator, the Federal Police are responsible for security at Berlin Airport. The fence is being monitored, said a BER spokesman for WELT. In the event of a cut, there is an electronic signal. If this strikes, the federal police will take over. In this case, activists who stuck would have had to be detached from the asphalt. An evaluation of the operation must show whether there will be opportunities in the future to act even faster or even preventively, should the action not remain an isolated case.

According to the video published by the “Last Generation”, the 31-year-old activist Penelope F. from Heidelberg and the 20-year-old Lina S. from Leipzig were involved in the action. S. said to the federal government in front of the camera with a trembling voice: "Listen to us, we all want a climate ticket. We all want a speed limit. They shouldn't listen to their super rich friends."