Climate Activists in Germany temporarily blocked a pregnant woman from getting to a hospital while she was in labour, according to a newspaper report.
A woman in labour needed to be escorted by police to a motorway exit after she was blocked from getting to her destination by hardline climate activists in Germany.
The eco-extremist group “Save Food – Save Lives” — who have since been described as a “fanatical doomsday sect” — had previously been warned by an emergency services spokesman that their climate protests involving the blocking of roads were putting lives at risk.
Despite these warnings, the members of the eco-extremist group once again blocked Berlin’s A100 Autobahn on Thursday, causing a build-up of traffic in which one pregnant woman — who was in labour — found herself caught up in, according to a report by Bild.
Fortunately, the publication reported that police were able to escort the woman to the next exit of the motorway, allowing her to reach the hospital.
The condition of the woman or her child is not known as of the time of writing, though there does not appear to have been any reports suggesting further difficulties or injuries suffered by any of the parties involved.
Ten activists who blocked the road have since reportedly been taken into police custody. The group has blocked roads some 30 times in Berlin in recent weeks.
Politicians have largely denounced the actions of the climate activists who have been blocking roads across Germany for the last number of weeks.
The AfD’s Marc Vallendar, who serves as a member of the Berlin House of Representatives, denounced the group as a “fanatical doomsday sect”.
“Berlin cannot afford to continue being held hostage by a small group of criminals,” a post on the party’s social media reports Vallendar as saying. “These people want to blackmail us until we give in to their demands.”
Meanwhile, the party of ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel also saw its Berlin members denounce the radicals.
“The motorway blockades must end,” a post on the Berlin CDU branch’s website read. “It is unacceptable that, according to doctors and ambulances, even a heavily pregnant woman was blocked today.”
“These are not stupid boy pranks, but clear criminal offences,” it continued.
Meanwhile, despite the denunciations from fellow politicians and warnings from at least one emergency services spokesman, a member of the German Greens praised the activists.
“The blanket accusation of recklessness is not tenable,” said one party member. “Political protest is part of a healthy democracy.”
“I’m so glad there are activists who are finally tackling this,” the member continued.
The ongoing demonstrations taking place in Germany are similar to the highly controversial “Insulate Britain” protests that occurred across the UK last year.
A number of activists were arrested as a result of the demonstrations, while eco-extremist members of the group justified any death or harm caused by their activism by comparing them to collateral damage in World War II.
Ultimately, the protests are estimated to have cost the UK taxpayer at least £4.3 million in policing costs, alone.