In the first nationwide trial in connection with blockade actions by the “Last Generation” group, the district court in Berlin-Tiergarten sentenced a 20-year-old climate activist to 60 hours of leisure work. The court found Nils R. guilty of coercion on Tuesday for his participation in a road blockade in the capital. Accordingly, on June 29 in the morning, R. sat down with other activists from the group on a driveway to the 100 motorway and glued his left hand with superglue. Police officers were able to loosen them from the roadway with oil.
This is “legally to be assessed as coercion,” said the presiding judge, who expressed understanding for the concerns of the accused. But others should not be used as a means of exerting political pressure. There must be other ways than blocking,” said the judge. R. was also charged with resisting law enforcement officers. However, the court did not see this accusation as fulfilled because R. did not use violence against the police officers who oiled his hands solved the street, have applied.
The conviction took place – as suggested by the youth welfare service – according to youth criminal law. Among other things, Räcke justified this by saying that R. had only recently left his parents’ house. The 20-year-old moved to Leipzig last year to study philosophy there.
The court’s verdict fell short of the prosecutor’s request, which had requested that the activist be tried as an adult and that a fine of 1,500 euros be imposed. R.’s defense attorney, on the other hand, pleaded for an acquittal or, in the case of a conviction, for the application of juvenile criminal law.
The 20-year-old was originally fined 450 euros (30 daily rates of 15 euros each). However, because the activist had lodged an objection, an oral hearing took place. The student now justified his behavior and pointed to energy policy and climate change: “I’m sorry that we have to disturb – but we have to disturb.”
The group “Last Generation” sharply criticized the Berlin verdict on Tuesday evening. “Although it recognized the climate crisis as a problem, the court expressly excluded it from its decision,” the initiative said. This is a “fatal error”. “We are prepared to bear the legal consequences for our actions, but we cannot accept that the court has shied away from responsibility today (…).” The “Last Generation” announced: “The peaceful resistance continues with the same determination.”
The activists are demanding more action from the federal government in the fight against climate change. By taped their hands to the street, the demonstrators want to prevent the police from taking them away quickly.
According to the authority, the Berlin public prosecutor’s office has now issued 133 penalty orders after road blockades. In 66 cases, the Tiergarten District Court has already issued a fine by way of a penalty order, as a court spokeswoman said on request. Objections have already been filed in 24 cases (as of August 22, 2022). So far there has been no final decision. The case of a 59-year-old who is said to have participated in three road blockades will be heard on September 1 at the Tiergarten district court.
In the gallery: Our shopping behavior has an impact on the environment. You don’t have to be vegan to do something about climate change. But there are already simple ways in which you can make a contribution to the climate in the supermarket.
