By Anne Losensky
Others tape hands. Thomas S. (40) taped his bare foot. That alone makes him special. As the first climate sticker, he said in court: “Not everyone takes the sticker campaigns well. I’m staying away from them now.” But freshly convicted, the engineer sits next to the accused in the next climate chaos trial and says: “I want to be the legal counsel here!”
► District Court of Berlin-Tiergarten. Criminal case 305 Cs 168/22. Accused: Thomas S., engineer from Braunschweig.
On April 19, 2022, the “Last Generation” pried open the sidewalk in front of Habeck’s Ministry of Economic Affairs in protest. Among them the engineer: “My first action in Berlin! Being careful not to damage the plates, I stacked a tower! And laid a pipe.”
April 19, 2022: The “last generation” levers open the cobblestones in front of Habeck’s Ministry of Economic Affairs Photo: Reuters
A police officer (51) says he has repeatedly asked him not to dig. The engineer: “I was focused head over heels on the work and didn’t hear anything. But then I was glad that I could finally stop: it was very, very warm.”
On May 23, 2022, he stuck his foot on Straße des 17. Juni: “I felt safer when the police finally came because the cars were diverted.” He felt “rejection”: “I notice in my environment, the campaigns are not liked by everyone. I got kicked out of my running group! That hit me personally.”
He has stayed away from “actions” since the beginning of 2023. But stay with the movement: “I just get involved differently, more in studies.”
Judgment: 900 euros fine (30 daily rates of 30 euros each for “destruction of buildings” and “resistance”).
► Another hall, 46 minutes later. Criminal case 423 Ds 38/23. Accused: Maria B. (18), student from Baden-Württemberg. She is said to have filmed when climate chaotic people triggered a fire alarm in the Reichstag building on October 10, 2022 (emergency call abuse).
10/10/2022: Members of the “Last Generation” activated the fire alarm in the Bundestag Photo: Stefan Mueller
The engineer is sitting happily next to her: “I want to be a defense attorney!” Judge: “What qualifies you?” Engineer: “I’ve just come out of a hearing.” Judge: “Legal knowledge?” Engineer: “Two courses, role-playing training. A friend is a family judge. A few lectures right.”
The judge is skeptical. A constable murmurs: “And I’m a rocket scientist because my friend used to set off firecrackers…”
The student has already been convicted. The judge offers her to discontinue the proceedings if she allows the judgment to become final (warning with reservation of punishment).
Before the would-be defender can open his mouth again, she rushes forward and says yes. The foot glue leaves the room disappointed…