Climate change activists temporarily paralyzed the Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Thursday, forcing the closure of two runways and the diversion of several flights.
The group Letzte Generation, or Last Generation, claimed responsibility. On its Twitter site, it posted a tweet with pictures showing an activist holding a banner while glued to the asphalt on a runway. Another photo showed an activist riding a bicycle along a shunting area, and a third showed two activists glued to a runway holding a banner.
"Supporters of the last generation are currently blocking the runway of BER," read the tweet, translated into English, noting the acronym for the airport. "Some are glued to the asphalt, others ride their bikes across the shunting area, bringing air traffic to a standstill. Before entering BER, they informed the police."
Another tweet by the group explained its motive. The tweet had a video showing three activists entering the airport grounds through a hole they made in a fence with pliers.
"The plane is not a means of transport for ordinary people," the tweet said, translated into English. "Most people — around 80% — have never flown. One affluent percent of the population is responsible for about half of all flight-related emissions."
The Berliner Zeitung newspaper reported flight operations were stopped for two hours and resumed at 6:15 p.m. local time, although further delays were expected. It reported police took several people into custody, and that police said those detained would be charged with dangerous interference in air traffic, trespassing and property damage. There were no further details, the newspaper reported, such as the number of people involved.
The Letzte Generation has previously attracted attention through road blockades and protests in museums, such as members throwing mashed potatoes on Monet's "Les Meules" painting or gluing themselves to a dinosaur skeleton.
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