Raids on Last Generation
Habeck calls police measures “completely absurd”
06/14/2023, 10:02 p.m
Police and public prosecutors raid the Last Generation in May. Federal Climate Protection Minister Habeck finds the behavior of the officials when entering the apartments of activists absolutely excessive, as he now explains at an event. He speaks of “roll commands”.
Federal Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck has sharply criticized the police crackdown on activists from the climate protection group Last Generation. “The criminalization, as you called it, so roll commandos break into the apartments of activists, that is of course completely absurd,” said the Green politician in an interview with Alexandra Struck from the youth organization of the Federal Government for the Environment and Nature Conservation at a BUND event in Berlin. “It’s not the establishment of a terrorist organization. Well, I don’t think that’s right either.”
However, he doesn’t think the protests of the last generation are good either, even if he understands the concerns of the activists about the climate crisis. But the political question is: “Does the protest help the climate movement? And I can’t see that.” Habeck asked: “Is a protest for oneself or is it there to achieve a political goal?”
Police and public prosecutors raided the last generation in May. Around 170 officers searched 15 apartments and business premises in seven federal states, as announced by the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. The charge is to form or support a criminal organization. The activists deny being criminals, although several have already been convicted of criminal offenses, some even imprisoned. The raid was criticized by many as excessive. The initiative complained that its members felt like they were being “treated with serious criminals”.