In Germany, climate activists have been formally accused of forming a criminal organization, with Bavarian prosecutors bringing charges against five former members of Last Generation.
The case, led by Bavaria’s Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism under the Munich prosecutor’s office, names well-known activists Carla Hinrichs and Wolfgang Metzeler-Kick among the accused.
The 149-page indictment also includes activists from Saxony and Bavaria, as well as a former core leader of the movement. Authorities allege that members of Last Generation raised €1.4 million through fundraising campaigns, with the money allegedly used primarily for criminal activities. Additionally, two of the defendants are charged with attempting to sabotage the oil pipeline between Trieste and Ingolstadt, a key piece of infrastructure.
In May 2023, police raided multiple homes of Last Generation members across several German states as part of the investigation.
In response to the charges, Hinrichs posted an Instagram video, likening the indictment to “a children’s book about protest, desperately rewritten with quotes from Bild into a thriller.” She argued that the case poses a threat to the right to protest.
Other legal proceedings against Last Generation are ongoing in Neuruppin and Flensburg. However, in Berlin, judicial authorities ruled that the group does not meet the definition of a criminal organization.
Since February, Last Generation has disbanded and split into two new groups. New Generation focuses on pressuring politicians through protests and parallel parliaments, while the Resistance Collective aims to implement climate protection measures independently.
