Environmental organizations have called for peaceful rallies at the German embassy and consulate in Madrid and Barcelona in support of the activist scientists who are facing trial since Tuesday for the peaceful protests they carried out in October 2022.
A series of peaceful rallies have been held at the German embassy and consulate, in Madrid and Barcelona respectively, organized by the Scientific Rebellion (RC) and Rebellion or Extinction (XR) movements and in which they have asked his acquittal.
The trials of the 16 members of Scientific Rebellion begin one year after they were held for a week in preventive detention in the Stadelheim prison (Munich) due to the recurrence of their actions of non-violent civil disobedience.
The first group to sit on the bench is made up of three Italian citizens and an American resident in Spain. The defendants participated in three actions against Black Rock, BMW and the German government for their responsibility in the climate crisis.
One of them was held at the entrance to the Black Rock offices, where a performance was carried out by pouring molasses (which simulated oil) and they stuck to the windows and the floor. Another was to cut off traffic on the central Odeonsplatz street and they stuck to the ground.
For these actions, each of them faces a fine of up to 12,800 euros or 160 days in prison for property damage and coercion. The rest of the activists are also expected to be summoned to trial in the coming months.
In their defense, scientists argue that their actions were necessary to try to stop the looming climate and ecological catastrophe, putting pressure on the government to act accordingly, according to international agreements and IPCC models, which expose the urgent need to transform the global economy and decarbonize as quickly as possible.
From these organizations, they recall that the scientific community is waking up alarmed at the shattering of temperature records and the worst forecasts, which have fallen short of the reality of global warming.
Furthermore, they assure that, given the impassivity of national executives, civil society and the scientific community see the need to pressure political leaders to implement the urgent measures necessary to stop the climate and ecological catastrophe.
