A German climate group, described as a successor to Last Generation, announced a week of protests in Berlin starting May 27, 2025. In recent years, climate activism in Berlin has included disruptive tactics like road blockades by groups such as Last Generation, which glued themselves to streets to demand stronger government action on climate change.
These protests often caused significant traffic disruptions and drew mixed public reactions, with some supporting the cause but criticizing the methods. For instance, Last Generation’s 2023 protests involved blocking key roads, leading to traffic jams and debates over their tactics. The group later shifted to “disobedient assemblies” in 2024, moving away from gluing themselves to roads.
The week of protests announced by a German climate group in Berlin starting May 27, 2025, could have significant social, political, and economic implications, while deepening existing divides in German society. Based on past actions by groups like Last Generation, protests may involve road blockades, airport disruptions, or symbolic acts like gluing to streets or defacing property.
These tactics, seen in 2023 with 550 protests in Berlin alone, caused significant traffic jams and commuter frustration. Such disruptions could again alienate parts of the public, with some commuters labeling activists as “terrorists” or “scum,” while others offer support, like food and water during blockades.
Protests are designed to spark debate, and a 2024 study found that climate protests in Germany increased public concern about climate change by 1.2 percentage points, even for confrontational tactics.
However, public support for disruptive activism has waned, dropping from 68% in 2021 to 34% in 2023, as many feel tactics harm the cause. This could lead to polarized reactions, with some praising the urgency and others decrying the methods. Past protests, like a 2022 blockade that delayed emergency services, were blamed for a cyclist’s death, fueling media and public backlash. Similar incidents in 2025 could escalate tensions and lead to calls for harsher crackdowns.
The German government has historically responded to disruptive protests with crackdowns, such as the 2023 raids on Last Generation properties, seizing assets and investigating finances. German Chancellor, Merz called such tactics “completely nutty,” and new laws, like those proposed in 2024 to punish airport intrusions, signal tougher penalties. The 2025 protests could pressure the incoming conservative-Social Democrat coalition to balance climate goals with public order, especially as they negotiate a joint climate policy.
Activists may push for measures like a universal highway speed limit or a fossil fuel phase-out by 2030, as demanded by Last Generation in 2024. However, resistance from parties like the Free Democrats, who control the Transport Ministry, and skepticism from the conservative CDU could stall progress. The protests might amplify criticism of Germany’s failure to meet 2030 climate targets, as warned by experts in 2022.
Harsh political rhetoric, such as comparisons of activists to the Taliban or Nazis, risks normalizing hostility toward climate movements. This could embolden legal restrictions, as Amnesty International noted in 2023 when Germany was added to a list of countries curbing protest rights. Blockades on roads or at airports, like those at Berlin and Cologne-Bonn in 2024, could disrupt passenger and cargo transport, impacting local businesses and logistics.
The 2024 Leipzig/Halle Airport protest halted cargo flights for three hours, showing the economic ripple effects. Berlin police deployed 500 officers for a single day of protests in 2023, and similar resource demands in 2025 could strain public budgets. Protests may highlight resistance to renewable energy projects, particularly in rural areas where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has capitalized on discontent against wind turbines and power lines. This could complicate Germany’s Energiewende (energy transition), as financial concerns over energy costs fuel opposition.
Urban areas, especially in western Germany, show stronger support for climate action (82.9% believe in climate change vs. 78% in the east), driven by historical green politics in regions like Baden-Württemberg. Rural communities, particularly in eastern Germany, often oppose renewable projects due to landscape changes or economic concerns, with the AfD exploiting this discontent. Protests in urban Berlin may be seen as disconnected from rural realities, widening this gap.
Climate activism faces a political split. The Greens and Fridays for Future enjoy broader support, but Last Generation’s confrontational tactics have drawn criticism even from progressive allies like the Greens’ Britta Hasselmann, who called them “not productive.” Conservative parties, like the CDU, and climate-skeptic AfD voters are more likely to oppose protests, especially if they disrupt daily life. The 2025 election of a conservative-led government under Friedrich Merz, who critiques excessive green policies, could intensify this divide.
Younger activists, inspired by figures like Greta Thunberg, push for urgent action, as seen in the 2021 Fridays for Future rallies with over 100,000 participants in Berlin. Older generations, like retirees supporting protests like Reinhart Kraft in 2023, share concerns but may disagree on tactics. However, some older citizens, especially in rural areas, prioritize economic stability over climate goals, creating friction.
While 83% of Germans see climate change as a serious threat and 86% want stronger government action, only 68% support specific policies, and disruptive protests have eroded broader movement support. Activists argue that disruption is necessary to highlight government inaction, but public frustration with tactics like road blockades or art vandalism risks alienating supporters, as seen in the drop from 60% to 25% who believe the climate movement prioritizes society’s well-being.
Historical differences persist, with western Germany showing higher climate concern (58.3% vs. 51.2% in the east) and support for collective action (85.3% vs. 79.8%). Eastern Germany’s economic challenges and weaker green political tradition fuel skepticism, which protests may exacerbate if perceived as urban-centric. The 2025 Berlin protests could heighten public awareness of climate issues but risk deepening societal divides by alienating commuters, rural communities, and conservative voters.
Politically, they may pressure the government but face resistance from a conservative-led coalition and a public increasingly critical of disruptive tactics. Economically, disruptions could strain local businesses and public resources. To navigate these divides, activists might need to balance visibility with broader public appeal, while policymakers must address legitimate climate concerns without escalating crackdowns that further polarize society.
