On Saturday morning, August 5, 2023, a protest by the climate activist group "Last Generation" caused a stir at the airport on the North Sea island of Sylt. Two activists from the group, which has made a name for itself in the media in recent years through drastic forms of protest, entered the airport grounds through a hole in the security fence and stuck themselves to the ground in the immediate vicinity of a private jet. However, their aim of spraying the plane with paint was thwarted by the quick intervention of airport staff. A third activist was stopped by the police at the fence and taken away. Despite the dramatic action, air traffic at Sylt Airport remained undisturbed.
The "Last Generation" is a protest movement that advocates radical measures to protect the climate. The group is known for its high-profile actions, in which it often uses civil disobedience as a means of drawing attention to the urgency of the climate crisis. On Saturday, the activists targeted Sylt Airport, which is known for its busy private jet traffic. These planes, which are mostly used by wealthy holidaymakers, are symbolic of the excessive CO2 emissions of a privileged minority, which the activists wanted to denounce.
After entering the airport grounds, the two activists glued themselves to the ground next to the jet to disrupt flight operations and spread their message. However, their attempt to mark the plane with paint was prevented by the quick action of the airport staff. They intervened immediately after the activists entered, secured the area and called the police. The fire department supported the measure by positioning two large fire engines in such a way that the private jet and the activists were shielded from prying eyes.
Legal and social consequences
After the two activists were released from the ground, they were taken away by the police along with the third activist, who had already been stopped at the fence. They are now being investigated criminally. They face charges of trespassing, damage to property and possibly disrupting air traffic.
The action on Sylt is part of a series of protest actions by the "Last Generation" that are always controversial. While the group wants to point out the urgency of the climate crisis and shake up the public, their methods have met with mixed reactions. Critics accuse the activists of targeting the wrong targets with their actions and unnecessarily disrupting public order. Supporters, on the other hand, emphasize that the radical approach is necessary to draw attention to the issue in view of the hesitant climate policy.
Sylt Airport, which is primarily used for tourism by the wealthy class, has long been criticized by environmentalists. Air traffic and in particular the use of private jets are considered to be particularly harmful to the climate, as they emit considerably more CO2 per passenger than commercial scheduled flights. This discrepancy between environmental awareness and actual behavior, especially in luxury private jet travel, was apparently the trigger for the "Last Generation" campaign.
Reactions and discussions
There were many reactions to the incident. Representatives of the airport management expressed relief that flight operations were not affected and that the incident was minor. Police sources said that the situation was under control at all times. The security measures at the airport are now being reviewed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The action of the “Last Generation” was discussed lively on social media and in public. Some voices praised the activists’ courage in sending a strong message against climate-damaging air travel. Others, however, criticized the action as an unnecessary provocation that ultimately does little to solve climate problems and instead deepens the division in society.
The incident on Sylt highlights the increasingly intense debate about climate protection and the question of how far activists can go to point out the urgency of their cause. With their action, the "Last Generation" has once again shown that they are prepared to break the law to get their message heard. It remains to be seen whether such actions will lead to a change in society's thinking in the long term or whether they will have the opposite effect. What is certain, however, is that the debate about the right way to fight climate change will continue to intensify.
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