Leftwing militants claim responsibility for arson attack on Berlin power grid
www.theguardian.com
Protest over climate crisis and AI has cut power to tens of thousands of homes which may take days to fully restore

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/44925200

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The fire that broke out on a bridge across the Teltow canal in the south-west of the capital early on Saturday could deprive up to 35,000 homes and 1,900 businesses of electricity – and in many cases heat – until 8 January, the grid company Stromnetz Berlin said.

As state security authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the blaze near the Lichterfelde heat and power station that damaged several high-voltage cables, the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) said.

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The area affected by the power cut includes many elderly care homes and hospitals as well as high-rise buildings with residents who are reliant on elevators that are now out of order. Berlin received moderate snowfall at the weekend and night-time temperatures plunged well below freezing.

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A previous arson attack attributed to the far left in September knocked out electricity for 60 hours in the south-east of the city in what was reportedly Berlin’s longest power cut since the second world war.

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  • myrmidex@belgae.socialEnglish
    192·
    4 days ago

    As state security authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the blaze near the Lichterfelde heat and power station that damaged several high-voltage cables, the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) said it had deliberately targeted some of the city’s wealthiest districts. A police officer stands in front of the Lichterfelde power plant in south-west Berlin in the snow Berlin power outage hits 45,000 homes after suspected arson attack Read more

    In a 2,500-word pamphlet seen by the Guardian which a police spokesperson called “credible”, the group said it had aimed to “cut the juice to the ruling class”.

    It condemned a “greed for energy” produced by high-emission fossil fuels, calling the attack “action in the public interest” and an “act of self-defence and international solidarity with all those who protect the earth and life”.

    Not to condone these actions but strange that this most poignant part is left out of OP’s summary.

    • MrMakabar@slrpnk.netEnglish
      10·
      4 days ago

      The same group has a history of attacking the German railway system. So I am just going to call bs on them caring about the enviroment. Honestly this smells like a Russian operation to make the German left look like cunts. We actually know that they paid people to destroy combustion engine cars and leave paphlemts calling the German Green Party resposnible for it.

      I know they are anarchists, but it is probably imporant to say, that the power plant is owned by the city state of Berlin.

      • myrmidex@belgae.socialEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        Just so weird to go under the banner of anarcho-primitivists for a false flag operation. Lots more relevant anarchist ideologies that make for easy-to-blame targets (green, queer, even ancoms). I’d reckon they’re just misguided idealists.

        • MrMakabar@slrpnk.netEnglish
          3·
          4 days ago

          If you want to blame leftist environmentalists for something it is usually about them trying to destroy the social order and wanting to ban everything. When you take those ideas to the extreme you end up at anarcho-primitivism. Since few people have any idea what anarcho-primitivism even is and a lot of the media is on the side of the right, you just let the journalist call them say “Leftwing militants” and let them quote some pro environmental stuff to blame that group. Hell the Guardian did that too. That way more moderate leftist and environmental groups will be seen as terrorists, which let thousands suffer.

    • Saapas@piefed.zipEnglish
      9·
      4 days ago

      Might as well include this

      The area affected by the power cut includes many elderly care homes and hospitals as well as high-rise buildings with residents who are reliant on elevators that are now out of order. Berlin received moderate snowfall at the weekend and night-time temperatures plunged well below freezing.

    • A_norny_mousse@feddit.orgEnglish
      7·
      4 days ago

      Further:

      In the message, which included details about the fire, Vulkangruppe said that datacentres used for AI were exacerbating the problem of climate-damaging energy consumption while creating dangers to society.

      “We are contributing to our own surveillance and it is comprehensive. The tech corporations are in the hands of men with power which we give them,” the group said. “One day we will simply sit before bright screens or dead machines while dying ourselves of thirst and hunger.”

      The group said it wished to apologise to the less well-off who had been affected by the power cut, but said its sympathy was limited “for the many villa owners” now in the dark.

      BTW:

      In March 2024, Vulkangruppe claimed an arson attack against a pylon at the Tesla gigafactory outside Berlin that cut off electricity to the plant and temporarily halted production.