Climate activists from the group ‘Letzte Generation’ (Last Generation) caused significant disruption at Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest, on Thursday, July 25, 2024, by gluing themselves to the runways. The action led to the cancellation of approximately 170 flights out of 1,400 scheduled for the day. The protest, which began early Thursday morning, caused a temporary suspension of all takeoffs and landings, with the airport’s traffic interrupted for about two hours before the first runway reopened around 7:00 am local time.The activists demand that the German government participate in the development and signing of an international agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2030. A spokesperson for the group stated, ‘The continuous extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal are a threat to our existence’. Similar protests occurred at other European airports, including Cologne/Bonn, Helsinki, and London Heathrow.German officials strongly condemned the action. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called it ‘dangerous, dumb, and criminal’. The Hessian Minister of the Interior, Roman Poseck, described it as a serious crime that endangers the lives of many people. The airport’s operator, Fraport, announced it would take legal action against the protesters and implement measures to improve security, including the installation of higher fences and the use of technology to detect and prevent such incidents in the future.The incident has sparked debate about airport security measures, with some politicians calling for harsher penalties for those involved in such actions. The German government has reportedly approved a new law that would impose stricter penalties for those who invade airport security perimeters.This protest is part of an ongoing series of actions by climate activists targeting transportation infrastructure. It follows a similar incident at Cologne/Bonn Airport the previous day, where activists were arrested for trespassing after blocking the runway. The ‘Letzte Generation’ group has threatened to carry out new protests at other locations in Germany throughout the week.
Key points
- Climate activists from ‘Letzte Generation’ disrupted Frankfurt Airport operations, causing about 170 flight cancellations.
- The protesters demand an international agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.
- German officials strongly condemned the action, calling for stricter security measures and penalties.
- The incident has sparked a debate about airport security and climate activism tactics.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported number of cancelled flights, with some sources citing 140 and others 170.
