On Friday, 18.08 have five climate protectors from the organization “Climate Justice Kassel” From the roof of the gas power plant a banner with the inscription “Get out of gas 2030” unrolled. The actions of the police during and after the action were an expression of the increasing repression against the climate movement in Germany.
During the action, the climate activists were temporarily arrested for several hours – ostensibly to clarify her identity. And this despite the fact that the activists involved had already handed over all their identity cards to the police. The activists assume so, that the police wanted to prevent the arrests, that the five get the opportunity, to contact the local press with their political concerns even after the action.
The activists also report inhumane treatment during their imprisonment: “We were deliberately harassed in the cells at police headquarters”, reports one of the climate activists. Three were forced, to strip completely naked. When one of them didn't comply with a request to turn around, one of the eight surrounding police officers threatened him with a stun gun at the ready. This caused the activist fear of death.
“It shocks us, that the police use such methods when alleging trespassing. This behavior by the police no longer has anything to do with proportionality and the rule of law”, says Juliane Schneider, spokesperson for Climate Justice Kassel. The organization is now examining complaints against the police measures. Members of the Hessian state parliament were also involved.
“Which endangers all of our freedom and security, are not rousing actions by climate activists, but the man-made climate crisis. The sharply increasing risk of conflicts around water, Landscapes and usable arable land that are still inhabitable can only be stopped through extensive climate protection.”
Juliane Schneider
The treatment of climate protectors in Kassel is part of a nationwide wave of repression against the climate movement. This was done, among other things, in September in Bavaria 27 Supporters of the group “Last Generation” were preventively detained during the International Automobile Exhibition, without being accused of any specific crimes.
“Instead of portraying climate activists more and more as criminals and thus encouraging violence against activists, Politicians should finally take those responsible for the climate crisis more seriously”, demands Schneider.
That the climate activists chose the gas power plant as the target of their action, they explain with reference to the high proportion of greenhouse gases caused by natural gas combustion: “In Kassel, an above-average amount of greenhouse gases are emitted per capita compared to the rest of the world. Heating heat accounts for around a third of this, most of it (23%) through climate-damaging natural gas. The Jamaica Coalition at City Hall is in charge, to decide on a rapid gas phase-out and a socially just heating transition 2030 to implement”, Schneider makes clear.