Fridays for Future protests attract 75,000 participants in Germany

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Climate activists gathered in cities across Germany, with approximately 75,000 people participating in Fridays for Future demonstrations. Events were held in major cities including Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, and Hanover. Annika Rittmann, a representative from Fridays for Future Germany, emphasized the public's demand for stronger climate action from the federal government.

The Fridays for Future movement originated from Swedish activist Greta Thunberg's weekly protests in 2018. This recent surge in participation comes amid severe weather events in Europe, including floods and wildfires, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change. Demonstrators noted the increasing frequency of such events, linking them to the ongoing climate crisis.

In a related development, a court in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania sentenced two elderly climate activists to prison for sabotaging an oil pipeline in 2022. The 69- and 74-year-old activists were convicted for breaking into pumping stations, stopping the oil flow at one site. One received a three-month sentence, while the other was sentenced to seven months due to prior convictions. The court did not suspend the sentences, as the activists expressed intentions to continue similar actions to combat climate change.