Member of fire brigade helps protester after police officer dumps oil on them
In the wake of a police operation to clear climate activists from the Konrad-Adenauer Bridge connecting Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, Germany, an incident involving a policewoman allegedly pouring oil over the head of a climate activist has ignited a firestorm of controversy.
The activist group, known as the “Last Generation”, has raised additional allegations against the officer, sparking widespread outrage.
The incident, which unfolded during a police operation on Saturday, targeted climate activists who had staged a blockade on the bridge.
In a video posted on Platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, the officer can be seen wielding a canister, before she appears to pour oil onto an activist’s glued hand to release her, before apparently dousing the protestor’s head with the substance.
The “Last Generation” has now levelled further accusations against the officer featured in the video. Multiple activists allege that they were subjected to unnecessary and invasive body searches while in police custody at the Mannheim police headquarters. One activist claims to have been forcibly stripped naked during the search, conducted by the same officer.
READ MORE: Burning Man is just the beginning as more festival chaos looms, warns scientist
Ralf Kusterer, the head of the German police union in Baden-Württemberg, emphasised that if there is any misconduct by police officers, they must be held accountable, regardless of public sentiment. The allegations have sparked concerns about potential police brutality and overreach.
During the Saturday operation on the Konrad-Adenauer Bridge, the same officer is accused of further exacerbating tensions by unnecessarily pouring oil over other activists, according to the “Last Generation”.
One activist described the officer’s actions as excessive, alleging that so much oil was poured on her arm that she found herself sitting in a pool of oil and disinfectant. Others reported having oil spilled on their clothing and hands, even when they were not affixed to the pavement. Firefighters were subsequently called to the scene to provide paper towels to those affected.
Don’t miss…
PM under fire from his own MPs over eco bill that could land homeowners in jail[INSIGHT]
Burning Man chaos blamed on climate change caused by ‘dangerous’ Donald Trump[VIDEO]
UK bees in ‘catastrophic’ danger amid invasion of deadly Asian hornets[ANALYSIS]
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The Mannheim police responded to the allegations on Wednesday, stating that the claims made by the “Last Generation” were being considered as part of both criminal and disciplinary assessments already initiated. In response to the initial video’s release, the police announced on Tuesday that they were investigating whether the officer’s behaviour warranted criminal or disciplinary consequences.
By Wednesday afternoon, the first video on Platform X had garnered over a million views, drawing widespread attention to the incident. The climate activists’ protest on the Konrad-Adenauer Bridge had led to hours of traffic disruptions on Saturday, with some activists glued to the street and others hanging banners from the bridge.
The police subsequently detained all activists temporarily. Further climate protection protests were held in downtown Mannheim and Heidelberg following the bridge operation.
Source: Read Full Article