Climate activists breach German airport, eight arrested

German police have arrested eight climate activists who breached the grounds of Munich airport, briefly causing it to close and cancel about 60 flights on a busy holiday weekend.

Six of the activists glued themselves to a runway, a police spokesperson said on Saturday, adding the situation was now under control with both of the airport's runways open for arrivals and take-offs.

Climate group Last Generation, which has carried out similar protests in the past, said it was responsible for the action in a series of posts on social media platform X, showing members on what appeared to be a runway or tarmac with protest signs.

The group later said six individuals had seated themselves on airport asphalt at 4.45am local time (0245 GMT) to block planes, and it criticised Berlin for subsidising airlines at the expense of rail.

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"Problem is the government, not our holiday," one of the signs read.

Germany's interior minister Nancy Faeser said security measures at the airport would be reviewed.

"Such criminal actions endanger air traffic and harm climate protection because they only cause contempt and anger," she wrote on X.

"The perpetrators must be vigorously pursued," she said.

Germany's transport minister Volker Wissing said new laws were needed to punish such actions as criminal, with up to two years in prison.

Current laws classify them as minor offences.

An airport spokesperson said the airport had been fully closed to take-offs and landings for almost two hours.

Some 11 flights had been diverted, about 60 cancelled and delays were still possible, the person said.

The disruption occurred during one of the busiest travel periods for the airport in southern Germany, second only to the Easter holidays, according to the airport.