German officials condemn climate activists who blocked roads

German officials on Monday condemned the climate protests that have resulted in blocked roads, including near the port of Hamburg, the country’s largest port. 

“To massively impede people’s mobility or block the movement of goods is a serious breach of the law,” Bavaria’s top state security official, Joachim Herrmann, a member of the Christian Social Union, told German newspaper Funke media group, according to The Associated Press.

Members of the group Uprising of the Last Generation blocked roads on Monday in Stuttgart, Freiburg and the Hamburg port in protest of food waste, the AP reported. The group demanded to end food waste, saying that disposing of vast amounts of usable food contributes to hunger and climate change.

Omid Nouripour, the head of Germany’s environmentalist Green Party, said he supports peaceful protests, according to the AP, but added the road blockages may undermine the support to tackle climate change. He also condemned the activists’ threat to step up the protest unless the government conforms to their demands by last Sunday.

Germany is not on track to hit the carbon emission reduction targets after the government set ambitious climate goals of being carbon neutral by 2045.

Climate protests have been occurring around Europe in recent months, with some leading to blocked roads. In London, members of the climate group Insulate Britain were arrested in October after their demonstration temporarily disrupted a road near Heathrow Airport.