❓WHAT HAPPENED: Climate extremists claimed responsibility for an arson attack on Berlin’s electrical infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands of Germans without power.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The far-left Antifa anarchist group Vulkangruppe, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegener, and Senator Iris Spranger.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Early morning on January 3 at an electrical cable bridge over Berlin’s Teltow Canal, near the Lichterfelde power plant.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This is no joke, this is a terrorist attack.” – Berlin Mayor Kai Wegener.
🎯IMPACT: Tens of thousands of residents and businesses were left without power, with restoration efforts ongoing and potential risks to vulnerable populations.
Authorities in Germany are investigating Antifa sabotage after an arson attack crippled parts of Berlin’s power grid over the weekend, plunging large sections of the capital into darkness. The incident occurred early January 3 when incendiary devices were used to ignite a fire at an electrical cable bridge spanning the Teltow Canal, a key connection supplying the Lichterfelde power plant.
The blaze reportedly damaged critical transmission lines, cutting electricity to roughly 45,000 homes and more than 2,200 commercial properties. Berlin’s grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin, warned that repairs could take considerable time due to the technical complexity of the infrastructure involved.
With nighttime temperatures posing risks to vulnerable residents, concerns have grown that some Berliners may need alternative shelter if any outages persist. Mayor Kai Wegner has urged the deployment of the German Armed Forces to assist with restoration efforts, citing their technical expertise. Senator Iris Spranger has floated the possibility of using military personnel to distribute hot meals to those affected.
On Sunday, Spranger confirmed that responsibility for the attack had been claimed by the far-left anarchist collective known as Vulkangruppe, or Volcano Group. “This is a despicable attack on the people of Berlin that willfully endangers human lives,” Spranger said.
A communiqué attributed to the group and reported by Tagesspiegel framed the sabotage as a response to climate concerns, declaring: “Last night we successfully sabotaged the gas-fired power plant in Berlin-Lichterfelde… The attack on the gas-fired power plant is an act of self-defense and international solidarity with all those who protect the Earth and life.”
The group also pointed to artificial intelligence (AI) and its energy consumption as a justification for the attack, writing: “We are operating our own surveillance, and it is total… The tech companies are in the hands of the men of power that we give them… One day, we will simply die of thirst and hunger sitting in front of glowing screens or inert devices.”
German officials say the incident fits a broader pattern of far-left, climate-motivated attacks on infrastructure that have been seen across Europe in recent years. These operations have frequently targeted power cables, data lines, factories, and transportation networks. A similar act of sabotage in September left more than 50,000 people without electricity for several days.
Reacting to the latest developments, Mayor Wegner vowed an aggressive response, stating: “It was a left-wing extremist group that once again attacked our infrastructure and thereby threatened the lives of people, of elderly people who may need ventilators, of families with small children… And we have to catch these perpetrators now… This is no joke, this is a terrorist attack.”
The attack has renewed scrutiny of transnational far-left extremist networks. U.S. President Donald J. Trump moved to designate Antifa-linked groups in Europe as foreign terrorist organizations last year, citing their involvement in political violence and infrastructure attacks. In November, Antifa activists torched a German politician’s car while vowing that “MAGA freaks will follow Charlie Kirk to hell.”
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