Climate activists bring Germany's largest airport to a standstill

GENEVA / ANKARA

“Last Generation” climate activists brought Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt to a standstill on Thursday.

Take-offs and landings were temporarily suspended in Frankfurt, according to a statement from the German Federal Police.

Demonstrators from the Letzte Generation (Last Generation) had forced their way onto the cordoned-off area of the airport in the early morning and taped themselves to the runway, according to the federal police.

“Due to an ongoing police operation at the airport, no take-offs and landings are currently taking place. Passengers are asked not to visit the airport for the time being. Instead, they are advised to check the flight status on the airlines' websites in advance,” said Fraport, the airport operator in Frankfurt, on its website.

The airport spokesperson said that the number of suspended flights now stands at 50.

The climate activists posted on X: “Today: Frankfurt Airport. The continued extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal is a threat to our existence. We have joined forces internationally: Get out of fossil fuels by 2030!”

The group also wrote: "We demand the signing of a Fossil Fuel Treaty."

"This commits the government to international negotiations with the aim of an international treaty to phase out fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) by 2030," the group underlined.

Police detained eight protesters, identified them and filed a criminal complaint against them for dangerous interference with air traffic and unauthorized entry.

On Wednesday, Last Generation activists had already paralyzed air traffic at Cologne/Bonn Airport for three hours.

The police announced on Wednesday that they had filed criminal charges for violating the law on assembly, dangerous interference with air traffic and trespassing.