Navigating supply chain disruption: Current climate activism Hotspots in Berlin and the Hague

The Last Generation rebels barricaded the street at Hauptbahnhof. / Credit: Wikipedia Commons.

21 September 2023

Climate activism has posed a threat to the supply chain for some time now due to the disruption that protests and route blockades can generate. However, right now there are two areas of particular concern – Berlin, Germany and The Hague, Netherlands which have been designated as Activism Hotspots on the Risk Intelligence System.

By Steve Bacot, LandRisk Manager

Climate activists are conducting daily, coordinated protests in these two areas which cause significant localised traffic disruption. This disruption can lead to confrontation between motorists and truck drivers alike. It can also cause delays to transports which may lead to missed deliveries or unplanned overnight stops at non-secure parking areas leaving trucks vulnerable to cargo and fuel theft.  

The Hague

Hundreds of climate activists are staging daily protests on the A-12 highway close to the Hague. The current wave of protests began on 09 September when thousands of climate activists staged a sit-down protest blockading traffic in both directions. The protesters refused to disperse when requested by the police who then used water cannon and hundreds of police officers to remove the protesters. 2,400 protesters were detained and removed to a local stadium where they were later released. The same MO has been used on a daily basis since where hundreds of protesters typically run onto the A-12 around midday and stage a sit-down protest. The police use water cannon to try and disperse the protesters before police officers deploy and remove them from the road.

The numbers of activists varies from day to day but continues to be in the hundreds. Activists groups have also stated that they will refuse to cooperate with the police by linking arms, remaining limp when removed and refusing to walk to waiting buses when detained. Although the tactics remain peaceful this could increase the time and police resources required to clear the protesters.

It remains to be seen how long the daily routine of protests continues but activists groups have stated that they will continue until the Dutch government withdraws subsidies on fossil fuels. Localised traffic disruption takes place during the protests and subsequent police operations to remove protesters. Logistics operators are advised to avoid the area of the A-12 close to the Hague, particularly around midday.

Berlin

Climate activists from the Last Generation group have been staging regular protests in numerous locations around Berlin, causing significant traffic disruption throughout and around the capital.

The group, which has been active throughout Germany since the beginning of 2022, announced the start of a new indefinite campaign of protests in Berlin through their spokeswoman Carla Hinrichs on 8 September 2023. In most cases protests include blockades of transit routes in and around Berlin in particular the A114, A103 and A100. Protests typically take place during the morning rush hour—with activists gluing themselves to the road surface using a quartz-sand mixture known to be particularly difficult to dissolve. This results in more lengthy delays to remove protesters and also more road damage which requires repair which generates further traffic disruption.

Importantly, these blockades have been highly coordinated, with up to 20 different locations around the city being affected at once, thereby leading to significant traffic disruption around the capital. The police have been deploying around 500 police officers to control the situation. Although the protests have mainly been peaceful, confrontations between protesters and motorists have been recorded and will present a threat to the safety of drivers if the blockades continue.

Whilst it remains to be seen how long the demonstrations will persist and which locations will be targeted next, it is expected that the Berlin motorway system will continue to be the focus of the movement in the coming weeks. Logistics operators are thus advised to be particularly vigilant when transiting these areas whilst the campaign remains underway.

To reduce the impact of these protest hotspots logistics operators are advised to:

• Follow local updates and police instructions on protest activities.

• If possible;
  - Avoid the area of the A114, A103 and A100 around Berlin during morning rush hour.
  - Avoid the A-12 around the Hague, particularly around midday.

• Brief and train drivers to avoid any confrontation with protesters if caught up in a protest to avoid accidents, injuries, or the escalation of the situation into a violent confrontation.
  

LEARN MORE:

Want 24/7 access to unrivalled intelligence? You can keep up to date with the latest cargo theft incidents and other threats that may disrupt the supply chain with LandRisk Logistics:

With Risk Intelligence's LandRisk Logistics you can optimise your risk management and significantly improve your ability to find secure alternative routes when a threat goes up. Get a trial on how integrating route planning, risk assessment and threat alerts in one system can help you to identify the ideal route for your commercial operations.