“Shit, it’s a climate war”

A cyclist is currently fighting for her life in an intensive care unit in Germany. She fell under a cement mixer in Berlin on Monday and was seriously injured. Firefighters rushed to free the trapped woman. This also included a special vehicle to be used to lift the truck, which weighed several tons. And the vehicle just couldn’t get through.

Because climate activists blocked the way. The group of the last generation had sat down on the street of the city highway. “As a result, the rescue was delayed,” fire department spokesman Rolf Erbe (62) told “Bild”.

At the same time, something dramatic happened at the scene of the accident. A truck driver (64) who provided first aid was seriously injured by a passer-by with a knife for unknown reasons. The arriving emergency services, who had already reached the site of the accident via another route, could not wait for the special vehicle and had to take immediate action. “Every minute counted,” said one rescuer.

“It’s a climate fight, not a climate hug”

The last generation then apologized. “In all our protests, the top priority is to ensure the safety of all people who participate. Of course, that also applies to all road users.” But not everyone thinks so. Tadzio Müller showed no understanding for the fuss about the blocked ambulance. “It’s a climate fight, not a climate hug,” he wrote on Twitter on Monday. His conclusion: “Shit happen”. That means something like “dumb”.

Müller has since deleted the tweet. And he apologized. It was “stupid and disrespectful wording”. He hopes the cyclist survives.

“The fire brigade has to make a detour for weeks”

The incident caused discussion in Germany. In particular, whether this street protest makes any sense at all. For the Berlin police it is clear: this form of activism puts people at risk.

“Now you have to say goodbye to the fairy tale of innocent protest,” said Benjamin Jendro, police spokesman for Berlin, to “Bild”. “Anyone who blocks traffic routes risks and hinders the ability of homeland security to act and also consciously accept that people in need have to wait longer for help from police and firefighters.”

CDU interior expert Frank Balzer (57) also sees it this way: “For weeks, the fire brigade has had to make a detour because roads are closed. The judiciary must come to understand the criminal relevance of these actions.” The verdicts? “Too mild so far.” (nab)