A 44-year-old cyclist has been declared brain dead after an accident with a concrete mixer in Berlin and eventually died on Thursday evening. Two climate activists who have been chained to the street are now being threatened with consequences for blocking the access of an emergency vehicle: According to the prosecutor, the charge of culpable homicide is even being investigated. According to the attending emergency department, the traffic jam had no influence on the rescue operation.
Monday’s accident in the Wilmersdorf district had sparked heated discussions in Germany: a special vehicle that should have lifted the concrete mixer to rescue the cyclist underneath arrived a few minutes later because of the traffic jam at the accident site. According to the incident report, the victim “went down with one leg under the middle tire of the truck”.
Mission Report: “This was the right course of action”
According to the emergency department, the delayed arrival of the ambulance did not affect the rescue measures at the accident site. As the emergency doctor reported, according to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, it had already been decided not to lift the concrete mixer when the special vehicle got into a traffic jam. Instead, the cement mixer was set in motion, although this involved a risk. “Even if other technical options had been available with a rescue vehicle or crane, this was the right approach,” the mission report said.
“There was some thought about lifting, but it probably would have taken longer and the medical situation deteriorated,” the report explained. “On the issue of technical rescue, the emergency physician made it clear that she would have opted for this method immediately, even if other technical options had been available, such as rescue vehicles or cranes.”
An investigation has been launched against two activists who had glued themselves to the highway carriageway for failing to provide assistance or hindering rescuers. As the prosecutor announced Friday, it is also necessary to consider whether the charge of culpable homicide can be considered. An autopsy on the accident victim should clarify what specifically led to his death. A spokeswoman explained that the deciding factor was the question of causality and who was responsible for what.
Climate protesters continue to protest
The organization Last Generation, which organized the protest on Monday, announced further actions. “We are continuing the blockades in #Berlin. The greatest risk to humanity is to simply carry on with everyday life,” the organization tweeted, releasing images of another protest in the German capital. The last generation sharply criticized the media: “We did not expect an entire media system to turn against us,” the group said in a statement, as reported by “Spiegel”. The organization complained of a “wave of accusations, falsehoods and hate speech”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
