Germany's federal police are increasing security measures at all major airports in the country in response to climate activists' actions that have led to airport shutdowns.
According to the German newspaper Bild, the police aim to prevent further disruptions by climate activists, even though airport operators are primarily responsible for security.
On Thursday morning, activists from the Letzte Generation ("Last Generation" in English) group blocked Frankfurt Airport, Germany's busiest hub for international air travel.
According to the activists, six of its members used pincers to cut openings in the wire fence before making their way “by foot, with bicycles, and skateboards to different points around the runways.”
A photo circulated on social media depicting a protester sitting on the tarmac with a banner reading “oil kills.”
Andreas Roskopf, head of the Federal Police Trade Union, criticized this blockade as "absurd."
"Airport operators should be required by law to bring their security standards up to date. All airports should have a modern security system: cameras, motion detectors, and fences that are difficult to overcome or penetrate," Roskopf stated.
Eight climate activists were arrested following the blockade.
Boris Rhein, Prime Minister of the federal state of Hessen, argued that blocking airport operations should be severely punished.
A similar action took place on Wednesday morning at Cologne Airport.
According to a report by The Guardian, global aviation is responsible for about 2.5 percent of global carbon emissions, more than the annual carbon footprint of Brazil and France combined.
