The second race in the 2023 Formula E season took place at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit in Berlin but it was marred by the appearance of Letzte Generation
The double-header marked the half-way point of the season, and drivers on the electric street track were racing for points towards the championship. But the race didn’t start for a few minutes because protesters got on the track and caused a short commotion.
What is Germany group Letzte Generation as it decides to protest during Berlin Formula E 2023
Protesters came onto the Formula E track from the far side of the circuit as drivers did burnouts, which slowed down the start process. Security guards and police moved quickly to get the protesters off the train and hold them. After that, the event could go on as planned, and Nick Cassidy of Envision Racing won the race.
German group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) claimed responsibility for the disruption, with the organisation holding a series of demonstrations around the German capital city over the weekend.
The group are calling on the German government to take action against climate change and took to Twitter to talk about their actions: “We are at the @eFORMELde racetrack to sound the alarm.
“It’s time to slow down. Because we’re on the highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.”
Why would you protest a Formula E race
They're electric for fuck sake pic.twitter.com/zONPCyi8a1
— Josh Merrin (@joshmerrin) April 23, 2023
Later, a German climate group called Letzte Generation said they were behind the trouble and asked the German government to do something about climate change. Over the course of the weekend, the group held a number of protests in and around the German capital to bring attention to the pressing need to do something about climate change.
The group used Twitter to talk about what they were doing. They wrote, “We are at the @eFORMELde racetrack to sound the alarm. It’s time to slow down. Because we’re on the highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.”
Protest halts Formula E Race in Berlin, Similar incident occurred at British Grand Prix
Formula E said in a statement that the race was put on hold while local officials dealt with a protest that had nothing to do with the event. The disruption was quickly and safely stopped by security, so the event could go on as planned.
Formula E not the first time that protesters have stopped a well-known run. During the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, members of the group Just Stop Oil stormed the track. During the first lap of the race, several members of the group got on the track along the Wellington Straight. The race was stopped when Zhou Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo Formula 1 car got into an accident that sent it over the wall.
Climate change protests and engagement are becoming more common in the sports world. Many groups are trying to raise awareness and get people to act. Some people agree with these causes, but others think that these activities take away from the sport. No matter what, it’s clear that protests like these will continue to be talked about as long as organisers want to be heard.
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