Cologne, July 24, 2024, The Europe Today: On Wednesday morning, flights were temporarily suspended at Cologne/Bonn Airport after climate activists from the group Last Generation cut a hole in the airport’s fencing and glued themselves to the runway.
The activist group took credit for the demonstration on the social media platform X, declaring their intent to pressure the German government into committing to an international agreement to phase out coal, oil, and gas by 2030.
“This was just the beginning today. Over the next few weeks, we will repeat this in Germany, Europe, and globally,” said Ronja Kuenkler, a Last Generation activist, in a statement to journalists. Kuenkler declined to comment on whether the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris would be affected by their actions.
Although the group had promised multiple protests this week, the only other reported incident involved a cut fence at Oslo Airport.
Arrests Made, Air Traffic Resumes
A spokeswoman for Cologne/Bonn Airport confirmed later on Wednesday that air travel had resumed, albeit with some delays and cancellations. She noted that the protesters had been arrested and charged with offenses including dangerous interference with air traffic, trespassing, and violations of the Assembly Act.
Last Generation, established in 2021, derives its name from the belief that this generation is the last one capable of preventing the Earth from reaching an irreversible tipping point into climate breakdown. In Germany, their protests have primarily focused on obstructing roads and runways to influence transport policy.
