BERLIN: German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has criticised protests carried out by Last Generation demonstrators and said he sees no reason to meet the climate activists again, reported German news agency (dpa).
“I consider these machinations to be unacceptable, intolerable and criminal, and I am of the opinion that they must be prosecuted,“ he told the t-online news site in an interview published on Thursday, referring to a protest on the North Sea island of Sylt.
Last week, climate demonstrators sprayed a private jet with orange paint in Sylt, a luxury island popular among tourists.
The activists also sprayed paint in a five-star hotel at the resort island.
The protests were in line with an announcement by the Last Generation activist group that they would target the wealthy, saying they wanted to highlight that the climate catastrophe was “primarily caused by the rich”.
Last Generation activists have sparked controversy with protests, including gluing themselves to roads, abseiling from motorway bridges and throwing food at famous paintings.
The group is calling on the German government to take more action as it seeks to meet the international goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.
Wissing underlined that he supports people’s right to demonstrate peacefully.
But he said a line had been crossed when it came to violence against people or property.
“Anyone guilty of coercion, vandalism and damage to property in our constitutional state and also shows no compunction must bear the consequences under criminal law,“ Wissing said.
He met representatives of the Last Generation in May and discussed their demands.
“I do not want any further talks with the Last Generation,“ the minister told t-online. - Bernama
