Climate Activists' Runway Protest Forces Closure of Airport

Storyful

A group of climate activists forced the shutdown of Munich airport in Germany for a time on May 18 when they sat on a number of locations on the runway.

The group of six from Letzte Generation, “sat down in groups of two on the asphalt at around 4:45 a.m. at different locations,” according to a media release.

“The protesters raised a banner that read, ‘The problem is the government – not our vacation.’ Another banner in the style of a yellow town exit sign shows the crossed-out term ‘flight shame’ and above it the goal: ‘government plan,’” the release said.

Munich airport later posted to say flights had resumed but that some restrictions were still in place.

61 takeoffs and landings were canceled, according to a local report that cited police as saying eight people had been arrested.

This footage shows one of the activists talking about the reason for the protest. Credit: Letzte Generation via Storyful

Video transcript

Hi ich bin und es tut mir leid, dass wir heute hier unangekndigt den Mnchner Flughafen stilllegen mssen ich bin Medizinstudentin und die arbeit auf der Intensivstation und jeden Sommer sterben mehr und mehrere 1000 menschen an den direkten Folgen der Klimakatastrophe, weil die Klimakatastrophe ist nicht ein bisschen du fr die Eisbren oder du nicht so gut fr die Bume.

Die klimakatastrophe ist nur so fr die demokratie, fr die menschheit und vor allem ttet die mangelhafte klimapolitik der regierung auch gerade einfach jeden tag menschen leben und ich fordere die Regierung auf und alle die in irgendeiner Regierungsverantwortung stecken, dass sie das anerkennen und es aussprechen, was die Wissenschaft seit 40 Jahren sagt dass die klimakatastrophe eine Gefahr ist, dass die klimakatastrophe die Bedrohung darstellt.

Es war eine massive fr die Menschheit, fr unsere Demokratie, dass wir endlich anfangen mssen, was dagegen zu unternehmen.

Hi ich bin und es tut mir leid, dass wir heute hier unangekndigt den Mnchner Flughafen stilllegen mssen ich bin Medizinstudentin und die Arbeit auf der Intensivstation und jeden Sommer sterben mehr mehrere 1000 Menschen an den direkten Folgen der Klimakatastrophe, Weil die Klimakatastrophe ist nicht ein bisschen du fr die Eisbren oder du nicht so gut fr die Bume.

Die Klimakatastrophe ist nur so fr die Demokratie, fr die Menschheit und vor allem ttet die mangelhafte Klimapolitik der Regierung auch gerade einfach jeden Tag Menschen leben und ich fordere die Regierung auf und alle, die in irgend der Regierungsverantwortung stecken, dass sie das anerkennen und es aussprechen, was die Wissenschaft seit 40 Jahren sagt dass die Klimakatastrophe eine Gefahr ist, dass die Klimakatastrophe die Bedrohung darstellt.

Es war ein massiv fr die Menschheit und fr unsere Demokratie, dass wir endlich anfangen mssen, was dagegen zu unternehmen.

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