Climate activists try to block access to 3 German airports

Climate activists of the group Uprising of the Last Generation stuck their hands on a crosswalk to block an access road to the cargo area from Munich Airport in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Climate activists of the group Uprising of the Last Generation stuck their hands on a crosswalk to block an access road to the cargo area from Munich Airport in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Climate activists from the group Uprising of the Last Generation are removed by police from blocking the Airportring at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — Climate activists on Wednesday blocked roads leading to Germany's three biggest airports, gluing themselves to the ground before police arrived.

Members of the group Uprising of the Last Generation said they wanted to disrupt cargo and passenger traffic at the airports in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin.

The group has demanded that the government take measures to end food waste. It argues that throwing away vast amounts of usable food contributes to hunger and climate change.

Past protests involving the blocking of roads and ports have drawn criticism from officials across the political spectrum.

“Blocking highways or even airports isn't helpful, it's wrong,” Environment Minister Steffi Lemke told weekly Die Zeit. It quoted Lemke saying that anger over Germany's failure to meet its emissions targets didn't justify such protests.

The blockades are reminiscent of the protests last year by the climate action group Insulate Britain, which obstructed many main highways and roads in London and other U.K. cities.

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