The World Briefly
May 25, 2023‘Green Mafia’
Germany
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German police raided the homes of members of the “Last Generation” climate advocacy group Wednesday, over allegations that some of its activists are part of a criminal organization, Politico reported.
Raids took place in 15 properties across Germany, with authorities saying the goal of the searches was to uncover information about the group’s structure and financing.
Authorities have accused seven activists of collecting more than $1.5 million via a fundraising campaign, which the Last Generation is alleged to have used to mainly commit crimes.
Two of the individuals are alleged to have planned felonies themselves, including accusations of attempting to sabotage an oil pipeline from Italy to Germany last April.
Police officials noted that the proceedings against the group began “as a result of numerous criminal complaints received from the public since the middle of 2022.” The group has sparked controversy with protesters gluing themselves to roads to block traffic.
Last Generation representatives criticized the police action and questioned when authorities will start raiding “lobby structures and seize government fossil fuel funds.”
The group wants to raise awareness of what it perceives as the government’s lack of urgent action over the climate emergency, the Guardian noted.
Its demands include a 62 miles per hour speed limit on German autobahns (highways) and subsidies for public transport.
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