The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution follows developments “very closely”

The announcement that climate activists of the last generation want to disrupt public order in Hamburg as much as possible is now calling the security authorities into action. Although the last generation is not an object of observation by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, a spokesman for the authority said on Wednesday when asked by WELT. Because this requires "sufficient evidence of anti-constitutional efforts in their objectives," and this is currently not given. However: The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution “continues to follow developments very closely”.

In a four-page letter to the mayor and the parliamentary group leaders, the last generation asked the city to support the demand for the formation of a so-called social council. According to the ideas of the climate protectors, such a council of randomly drawn people should develop measures to ensure that Germany no longer emits any climate-damaging CO₂ by 2030.

"If we do not receive an answer from you by March 13, 2023, we see no other option than to resist the current course," says the letter, which is signed by two representatives of the group. "In this case, we will extend our protest to the city of Hamburg from March 14, 2023 and ensure maximum disruption to public order."

The red-green Senate and representatives of the SPD, CDU and AfD parliamentary groups clearly rejected the threats of the climate activists. Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) does not consider such an approach to be justifiable, said Senate spokesman Marcel Schweitzer on Tuesday. The mayor will also not hold any talks or make any agreements with the initiators. "The letter was forwarded to the security authorities immediately upon receipt in order to examine the content from a criminal and security perspective.

The process has now been handed over to the Hamburg public prosecutor's office by the police, said a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office on Wednesday when asked by WELT. For example, attempted coercion of constitutional bodies could come into consideration during the review process, enshrined in paragraphs 105 and 106 of the Criminal Code. In turn, the Attorney General is responsible for this. The spokeswoman for the Hamburg public prosecutor's office emphasized that he alone was responsible for deciding whether there was initial suspicion.

Meanwhile, SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Kienscherf said he had no sympathy for threats or ultimatums of any kind, especially towards democratically elected members of parliament. He accused the group of damaging environmental protection if fundamentally open-minded people were opposed to measures with disruptive actions. Climate protection is only possible if you take all citizens with you. "We all have to be careful that there are no counter-movements and radicalization that run counter to the goal of effective and sustainable climate protection," said Kienscherf. There are already first signs of this.

The chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, Dennis Thering, spoke of "blackmail". "This procedure is evidence of a dangerous understanding of democracy of the last generation", which completely disqualifies itself with the letter. "Anyone who commits criminal offenses and threatens to do more must feel the full force of the law."

AfD parliamentary group leader Dirk Nockemann, who was the only parliamentary group leader who had not been contacted, spoke of an extortionate declaration of war on democracy and the rule of law. "It shows the extremist and therefore dangerous orientation of these climate chaos." They are not negotiating partners, "but a case for the security authorities".

Green party leader Jenny Jasberg was much more reserved. They want to "discuss the letter internally first and then answer it in due course," she said. First, however, the Hamburg Greens would consult with colleagues from other federal states and the Bundestag.

The group Last Generation has already offered other cities a halt to their protests if the government in question agrees to their demands. In Hanover, Mayor Belit Onay (Greens) assured the activists after a meeting that they would support their demand for a “social council” in a letter to the democratic parliamentary groups. According to his own statements, the Mayor of Marburg, Thomas Spies (SPD), had also reached an agreement with the climate activists.

In Tübingen, the activists of the last generation also stopped their adhesive protests. However, Lord Mayor Boris Palmer stated that this had nothing to do with an agreement. However, after talks with the group, he published a letter in which he spoke out in favor of citizen participation at federal level in the form of a citizens' council on climate protection issues.