A year ago, Henning Jeschke went on a hunger strike to talk to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) about the climate emergency. Now he was on trial for a freeway blockade.
Photo: dpa/Fabian Sommer
The judge shows understanding: “Of course that moves me. I see that you are not the cranks that some media portray you as, and that you are in a situation in which you do not know how to help yourself.” the Autobahn blockades of the climate group Last Generation, with which the activists want to draw attention to the failed climate policy of the federal government. Because of participating in such a blockade with his hands taped on June 24, 2022, Henning Jeschke is standing before the Tiergarten district court this Wednesday.
Nevertheless, she has to do her job here, “and I see no way of getting around paragraph 240,” the judge regrets to Jeschke and the more than 20 supporters who have squeezed into the small courtroom. Section 240 of the Criminal Code deals with the offense of »coercion« and that is exactly what the 22-year-old activist is accused of by the public prosecutor. The second charge of resisting law enforcement officials is dropped during the trial when Jeschke argues that the autobahn blockade was a political gathering but was not treated as such by the police.
The young activist defends himself without the support of a lawyer. In fact, he has applied for legal assistance from two fellow campaigners from the last generation, but since they do not have sufficient legal qualifications, the application is rejected. In any case, the last generation is not concerned with a legal defense. Jeschke doesn’t want to deny the fact, but rather explain why he still thinks it’s right. “The climate crisis is actually mass destruction,” he says, which the government continues to ignore. The actions of the Last Generation are necessary resistance to the inadequate measures.
According to Jeschke, the court should actually first rule on this mass extermination and see the legal reprehensibility of its actions in relation to it. However, his request to hear Karim Zantout, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), who could confirm the danger posed by the climate crisis, is rejected. The proof of the climate emergency is irrelevant to the process.
Now Jeschke is defending the means of blocking the freeway, which has led to a particularly large media coverage. He is able to submit a total of 41 press articles, also to national media, about the blockade on June 24th. »An ordinary demo without interference attracts less attention. This shows that the campaigns are effective and that our issues are being discussed by a broad public,” he explains.
The judge admits that she can’t think of a better way to protest and that she thinks the actions of the activists are morally, but not legally, justified. She finally sentenced Jeschke to a fine of 20 daily rates of ten euros, ten less than the public prosecutor’s office demanded. Jeschke feels confirmed. “If even the judge has to recognize that road blockades are morally justified, then the task for us citizens is actually clear,” he sums up and announces that he will continue to take to the streets.
In the past few weeks, three other Last Generation activists have already been put on trial. 70 to 80 penal orders are still pending, says spokeswoman Carla Hinrichs. After more than 200 freeway blockades and other actions, she still expects hundreds of procedures.
