Amnesty condemns criminal association charges against climate activists in Germany
Clean Energy Wire
Human rights organisation Amnesty International and other NGOs have criticised official charges against members of the German Last Generation climate movement because of “suspicion of forming a criminal association,” calling the move “a new form of state repression” against activists. Prosecutors in Munich had laid charges of forming a criminal association against five members of the group earlier this week.
“The accusation of 'forming a criminal organisation' not only penalises individual acts, but also stigmatises and criminalises the climate movement as a whole,” said Julia Duchrow, head of Amnesty International Germany. “The renewed accusation against members of Last Generation for forming a criminal organisation represents a new form of state repression against climate activists,” she added.
Last Generation had sparked controversy nationwide with its often disruptive climate protests, such as blocking roads by having members glue themselves to the asphalt. Many conservative politicians had condemned these actions, and called for severe penalties. In December 2024, Last Generation dropped their name and said they would focus on social issues, as well as remove the focus on street blockades.
Other activist groups echoed Amnesty’s criticism. “The right of civil disobedience to exist is not about impunity. [...] It is about recognising that there is an obvious and structural difference between organised crime and civil disobedience,” said Luisa Neubauer, the most prominent leader of the youth climate movement Fridays for Future (FfF). She added it was important to show across organisations, despite disagreements over the best protest tactics, that this charge created a new legal environment for climate protest.
Campaign organisation Campact said Last Generation fulfilled the criteria for civil disobedience by using clearly non-violent forms of action, invoking common interests, and freely revealing their personal identities. “It is therefore all the more disturbing that precisely such protests are now being criminalised. The actions of the investigating authorities lack any sense of proportion,” said the organisation’s Christoph Bautz.
