FPÖ politician warns: Climate extremists” are planning arson attacks!

FPÖ politician warns: Climate extremists” are planning arson attacks!

The FPÖ transport spokesman and general secretary Christian Hafenecker expressed his horror today at the statements made by a former spokeswoman for the “Last Generation” organization. In an interview with “oe24.tv,” she expressed solidarity with radical groups that burn down cities and expressed the desire for a successor organization that “sets everything on fire.” ots.at Hafenecker described these statements as unacceptable and sees them as evidence of the extremist nature of the organization.

He calls for close monitoring of “climate extremists” by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and criticizes the radicalization of the organization. In his opinion, these forms of action pose a threat to human life and democracy. He also criticizes the fact that the system parties, especially the black-green government, have not reacted adequately to the group's activities.

Radical forms of protest and possible extremization

The protest actions of the “Last Generation” have been keeping the German public on tenterhooks since 2022 and could be showing signs of radicalization. On July 12, 2023, there was an arson attack on two SUVs in Munich, which was justified by unknown persons in response to the prosecution of climate activists. The fire brigade was able to prevent major damage, but the material damage amounted to over 100,000 euros. politik.watson.de Terms such as “climate terror” and “climate RAF” are now circulating on social media to describe the attack.

A current study by the European Institute for Counterterrorism and Conflict Prevention (EICTP) analyzes the potential for extremism within the climate movement. The study by eight scientists questions whether groups like the “Last Generation” could potentially give rise to violent splinter groups. As terrorism researcher Nicolas Stockhammer notes, trends could emerge that bring with them dangerous developments. bpb.de

Connection between extremism and protest movements

The dynamics of climate activism remain shaped by various groups such as “Fridays For Future” and “Extinction Rebellion”. While “Fridays For Future” is largely limited to demonstrations, “Last Generation” also uses unconventional and polarizing forms of protest. Experts fear that left-wing extremists could try to exploit these movements to achieve their own political goals. bpb.de

It turns out that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution currently sees no evidence of anti-constitutional efforts within the “last generation”, but discourse about possible extremist tendencies is still urgently needed. Protest researchers warn that acts of violence and fanaticism could endanger the public image of legitimate protest movements. politik.watson.de