In what has been described as a bold and audacious act of protest, climate activists from the “Last Generation” group in Hamburg and Düsseldorf took their demonstration to the runways of local airports, causing significant disruptions to flight operations.
According to reports, the protests follow in the footsteps of renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg, who gained attention for her powerful speech challenging world leaders at the United Nations, exclaiming, “How dare you?” and emphasizing the burden placed on future generations.
However, while Thunberg’s approach garnered widespread recognition, the “Last Generation” group has taken their protest to the next level.
Members of the group reportedly accessed airport runways and firmly attached their hands using a mixture of concrete and epoxy resin. This blend, commonly used for construction purposes, hardens over time and can result in hands being permanently stuck unless amputation is pursued as a solution.
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This extreme method serves as a demonstration of the activists’ frustration with authorities’ lack of action on climate change, symbolically sacrificing their own hands to showcase their resentment. The consequences of their actions became apparent when flight operations were severely disrupted, causing delays and chaos.
Thursday morning at Hamburg Airport witnessed the cancellation of thirty-six flights, with an additional ten flights being redirected to alternative airports. Despite the controversial nature of their actions, the Last Generation Group has a genuine intention: to reduce global carbon emissions by 2030. They argue that governments have shown indifference to their demands and have failed to implement effective measures to address the climate crisis.
Reports showed that the group also criticizes the increasing number of people opting for air travel and the associated emissions. Their demands include a comprehensive action plan to meet emission targets and the establishment of a societal council tasked with phasing out fossil fuels by 2030.
Story was adapted from Times of India.
