Lufthansa Slaps Hefty Fine on Climate Activists
In an unprecedented move, Lufthansa's subsidiary, Eurowings, is seeking a hefty compensation of 740,000 euros from climate activists belonging to the Last Generation group. The demand comes in the wake of several disruptive actions these activists took at Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Berlin airports, affecting numerous flights and thousands of passengers.
The media outlet Bild am Sonntag reported that some of the accused have already been served with demands for payment. The activists' actions at these airports led to the disruption of 57 Lufthansa Group flights carrying 8,500 passengers in Hamburg alone on July 13. In this incident, Lufthansa claimed 400,000 euros in damages.
The Last Generation activists resorted to extreme measures, cutting open the airport fence and riding bicycles towards the tarmac. Four of them were apprehended near the runways by the Federal Police. Ten of the accused are facing payment demands relating to the Hamburg protests, and Lufthansa is also claiming compensation for similar protests at Düsseldorf Airport on the same day and at the capital's Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in November 2022.
The call for stiffer penalties
Transport Minister Volker Wissing, in view of these incidents, has announced his intent to advocate for tightening the Aviation Security Act. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, from the same party, shares Wissing's view on this matter. Wissing declared that blockades aimed at disrupting airport operations far surpass the boundaries of legitimate protest and are not minor offenses.
Since the beginning of 2022, the Last Generation group has been protesting and demonstrating for climate protection, using various methods such as road blockades. Recently, they targeted symbols of the Christmas season by spraying orange paint on Christmas trees in several German cities, including Berlin.
Fighting a criminal organization
The city of Berlin is refurbishing its investigation into whether the Last Generation group should be classified as a criminal organization. Attorney General Margarete Koppers, prompted by the group's "more serious crimes," ordered the investigation. If the group is convicted of forming a criminal organization, it could face harsher sentences, including up to five years in prison.
Further reading
- The article does not specify the exact damages claimed by Lufthansa and Eurowings. However, it states that some activists have already been served with demands for payment, suggesting that the figure could be substantial.
- The article mentions that the Last Generation group targeted the Christmas spirit by spraying paint on Christmas trees in several German cities in 2022. There is no clarity on the number of cities involved or the extent of damages incurred.
- The article does not specify the context in which the Last Generation group was classified as a "more serious crimes" - worthy investigation by Attorney General Margarete Koppers. It is unclear if other criminal activities are also being investigated.
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