Eight people were arrested after climate activists broke into the German airport

By Tom Sims

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German police on Saturday arrested eight climate activists who trespassed on Munich airport premises, leading to a brief closure of the airport and around 60 flight cancellations over a busy holiday weekend.

Six of the activists were stuck to a runway, a police spokesman said, adding the situation was now under control as both runways of the airport were open for arrivals and departures.

Climate group Last Generation, which has held similar protests in the past, gave up in a series of posts

The group later said six people sat on the airport tarmac to block planes at 4:45 a.m. local time (02:45 GMT) and criticized Berlin for subsidizing airlines at the expense of rail.

“The problem is the government, not our holiday,” one of the signs read.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said security measures at the airport were being reviewed.

“Such criminal acts endanger air traffic and harm climate protection because they only provoke contempt and anger,” she wrote on X.

“The perpetrators must be vigorously prosecuted,” she said.

German Transport Minister Volker Wissing said new laws were needed to treat such acts as criminal and punishable by up to two years in prison. Current laws classify them as minor crimes.

An airport spokesman said the airport had been completely closed to takeoffs and landings for almost two hours. About 11 flights have been diverted, about 60 have been canceled and delays may continue to occur, the person said.

According to the airport, the disruption occurred during one of the airport’s busiest travel times in southern Germany, right after the Easter holidays.

(Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by William Mallard and Mark Potter)