‘Last Generation’ Climate Radicals Charged with Forming a Criminal Organisation in Germany

Prosecutors in Germany have charged five members of a leading radical climate activist collective over allegations of forming a criminal organisation.

Two years after raids were first carried out against the green extremist group, the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office is reported to have charged five members of the infamous ‘Last Generation’ with allegedly violating Section 129 of the German Criminal Code, which prohibits the forming of criminal organisations.

Similar to other eco-warrior groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, the Last Generation has frequently used disruptive tactics such as glueing themselves to motorways to block off traffic, shutting down airports as well as vandalising great works of art to push their apocalyptic warnings about the supposed climate crisis.

Under the law, which broadcaster NTV notes has typically been used to target mafia or “right-wing extremist” groups, those convicted face up to five years in prison.

While the prosecutors have not released the indictment, Welt reports that the charges are believed to be related to the destruction of property and coercion.

According to the German paper of record, the leadership of the Last Generation kept lengthy records on the thousands of people who joined their actions.

Activists were judged by the leadership on a range of issues, with some being described as being “too afraid of prison”, “not as fit in terms of health,” or “fears deportation in the event of an arrest”.

Welt reported that as of 2023, some 250 people had told the leadership that they would be willing to risk prison time to take part in green activist activities.

There have been serious ramifications for some of the group’s stunts, with one instance of Last Generation activists shutting down a road, resulting in a woman being left brain-dead after her ambulance was blocked from reaching the hospital in time by the blockade.

The police initially began investigating the group as a potential “criminal organisation in 2022 following attacks on an oil refinery on the German border with Poland, which caused disruptions to critical supplies of energy.