German climate activists disrupt traffic in central Berlin

BERLIN

Climate activists continued their protests in Berlin on Thursday, blocking more than a dozen streets by gluing themselves to the ground.

Silvia Joost, an activist at the Last Generation movement, told Anadolu that they are demanding “climate justice,” and will continue their actions to increase pressure on the politicians.

“The government continues to fuel the climate catastrophe, continues to destroy our livelihood and that of future generations. That is why we are doing this,” she said.

“We demand socially just laws that can end the use of fossil fuels by 2030. It is important to maintain social justice while taking these measures,” she added.

Joost dismissed criticisms directed at the group’s extreme actions and radical protests to draw attention to climate change.

“Many people have understood what kind of climate emergency situation we are experiencing now. Those who understand this no longer complain, and thank us for what we are doing,” she said.

Berlin police said they have so far responded to 15 disruptive actions, and by noon all the activists were cleared from the busy roads. Dozens of protesters were briefly detained by the police.

The Last Generation movement had announced earlier that they will continue their “civil resistance” actions in the capital Berlin throughout the week. The group is heavily criticizing the government for not taking serious measures to limit global warming, but further investing in fossil fuel infrastructure, endangering the future of humankind.