Third fire incident in two days on German railways attributed to sabotage by the operator
Angry Birds Kommando Strikes Again: Far-Left Environmentalists Disrupt German Rail Lines
The far-left environmentalist group Angry Birds Kommando has once again disrupted Germany's railway network, this time setting fires to rail cables in two separate incidents in western and eastern Germany.
On Thursday, a fire was reported in western Germany, with the blaze occurring in a railway tunnel near Düsseldorf and Duisburg. The group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they acted to stop a "system of destruction" of the environment. The fire disrupted one of Germany's busiest rail lines, linking its Ruhr industrial region with northern Europe and Switzerland, causing significant disruptions to train services.
Deutsche Bahn, the German national railway company, reported that several hundred trains had to be cancelled or diverted due to the fire, affecting tens of thousands of passengers. The repairs required the replacement of five cable sections, each approximately 20 metres long.
Another fire occurred on Friday in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, at Hohenmoelsen. This blaze was reported on Saturday. The line affected by the fires in western Germany was used for goods trains, notably for coal transportation, while the line in Saxony-Anhalt was not known for carrying goods trains.
The Angry Birds Kommando is known for carrying out sabotage attacks on German rail lines, using fires to damage rail cables. Their motive is rooted in radical environmentalism and opposition to industrial society. The group has posted manuals online describing how to sabotage rail infrastructure, with the attacks deliberately targeted at busy routes, affecting commuter, intercity, and airport shuttle trains, creating travel chaos and delays.
The attacks occurred one kilometre apart on Thursday and Friday, marking the latest in a series of disruptions to Germany's railway network. Germany's rail lines have frequently been the target of attacks, with some claimed by radical groups. German authorities classify Angry Birds Kommando as a far-left extremist group engaging in politically motivated sabotage. Law enforcement is investigating but has not yet arrested any members.
The Angry Birds Kommando's name references the popular mobile game Angry Birds, symbolizing launching attacks at the system like the birds attacking structures in the game. The group criticizes not only industrialization but also the German government's spending priorities, contrasting the billions allocated to Ukraine's support with insufficient investment in railway maintenance or environmental protection. The attacks represent a broader pattern of radical left-wing and anarchist actions aimed at infrastructure seen as symbolic of industrial and environmental harm.
[1] The Guardian
[2] Deutsche Welle
[3] BBC News
[4] Reuters
[5] The New York Times
- War-and-conflicts and politics are key areas of coverage as the Angry Birds Kommando, a far-left extremist group, continues to disrupt Germany's railway network, causing significant disruptions to train services and affecting tens of thousands of passengers.
- In general-news, crime-and-justice sections, reports detail the investigations into the bombings of railway lines by the Angry Birds Kommando, a radical group known for their opposition to industrial society and environmental protection, with law enforcement yet to apprehend any members.
