Members of the Last Generation climate group began blocking traffic in several parts of Berlin on Monday, September 18, 2023, kicking off a new wave of open-ended protests to call for an end to fossil fuels.
As of Monday morning, rush-hour traffic was disrupted in 21 different locations, police said.
Bus services were also affected.
Last Generation said there were at least 23 sit-ins across the German capital, saying motorway exits and roads leading into Berlin were also affected.
It said that in some areas, activists had glued themselves to the tarmac, in what has been a typical strategy for the group in the past.
Police said that some had used a particularly strong glue mixture making it more difficult to free them.
The police said that up to 500 officers had been deployed to deal with the blockades.
Last Generation, which has been organising climate protests since spring 2022, had announced a new wave of open-ended actions on Sept. 8.
The group’s demands included an end to fossil fuel use by 2030.
Currently the government in Berlin planned for the German economy to become climate neutral by 2045.
On Sunday, members of the group sprayed orange paint on all six columns of Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, drawing fierce criticism.
Fourteen people were arrested, with six still in detention as of Sunday evening, according to police.
