Three climate activists in Germany have been arrested on suspicion of a plot to sabotage Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s private plane in what police suspect was a protest action.
The trio were detained at the Arnsberg-Menden airfield east of Dortmund on Thursday night where Merz’s plane was housed in a hangar.
According to police, the two women and a man aged between 23 and 56 have been categorised as climate activists.
“Based on the circumstances of the encounter, it can be assumed that they intended to damage an aircraft currently parked and owned by the Federal Chancellor,” the police statement said.
“Any intended protest actions no longer took place.”
It remains unclear what type of damage was planned and whether the group were carrying any material that could have damaged the aircraft.
It is also initially unknown whether investigators are working on the basis of a coordinated action by a larger group or an individual initiative.
According to the dpa news agency, a group called the “Resistance Collective” later said in a statement that they had attempted to “immobilise” Merz’s plane during a protest action.
Merz is the focus of international attention
The incident comes at a time when Merz is already attracting international attention, particularly after giving his keynote speech on Thursday morning at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Merz warned that the international order is “unravelling at a breathtaking pace” and that “a world where only power counts is a dangerous place”.
He pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine, a rising China and a United States that is “radically reshaping its foreign and security policy.”
“A world where only power counts is a dangerous place,” he said. “First for small states and for the middle powers, ultimately for the great ones.”
The conservative leader of the top EU economy said Germany went down this road “to its bitter end” during the 20th century.
“It pulled the world into a black abyss,” he said.
“So let us bear in mind: our greatest strength remains the ability to build partnerships and alliances among equals based on mutual trust and respect.”
Merz called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “the most drastic expression” so far of a global “new era”. He added that China, “with strategic foresight, has worked its way into the ranks of the great powers”.
“The United States’ global pole position is being challenged,” Merz said, with Washington responding by “radically reshaping its foreign and security policy”.
“We have entered a time of great power politics. The international order of the past three decades anchored in international law has always been imperfect. Today, its very foundations have been shaken.”
He said Europe’s power rested on three pillars.
“First we must invest massively in our ability to defend ourselves, and we are doing this,” he said.
“Second, we must rapidly make our economies competitive, and we are doing this. Third, we must stand closer together among Europeans and among like-minded partners. We are doing this.”
Climate protests target infrastructure
In Germany, there have been several protests by climate activists in recent years that have targeted transport infrastructure, including actions at airports.
Private aircraft have also been the target of protests, for example during a paint attack on Sylt in 2023. Such actions are usually intended to attract attention, but are also sharply criticised due to safety risks and interference with operations.
In 2024, for example, there were temporary disruptions at several airports after activists gained access to the site and flight operations were disrupted.
Security authorities and operators often respond to this by debating how to better secure fences, checkpoints and road access points.
Additional sources • AFP
