A group of protestors temporarily halted the start of the Berlin ePrix. A German group named “Letzte Generation,” translated to “Last Generation” claimed responsibility on Twitter, calling on the German government to “sound the alarm” against climate change.
As cars pulled into their grid positions for the start, the protestors hopped the fence to sit on the track. Some sat in front of cars while others glued themselves to the support vehicles. They were taken in by security and the race started minutes later.
i literally have it on video omg pic.twitter.com/GQLfXagIyh
— mars (@slagclaren) April 23, 2023
If this sounds confusing, you’re not the only one. A group of climate change activists protesting a race where the cars have all-electric drivetrains that regenerate its power under braking. Formula E might not be perfect, but it’s one of the more environmentally friendly racing series in the world, so it didn’t add up.
Many pointed this out when they read the news on social media.
Formula E is literally the most sustainable sport ever
Like why were climate protestors there
— Cel 🏴 (@cel_stone) April 23, 2023
Protestors running on the track during a race are idiots, but this is a Formula E race (all electric btw if you didn’t know)
Like… you know it’s electric 😂
— Paddock Passion | F1/Motorsport Content Creators (@PaddockPassion) April 23, 2023
Quite flattering that Formula E is big enough to get disrupted by protestors
— Adi 🍍 (@2Adi_P) April 23, 2023
Lights just about to go out in Formula E and it would appear that a couple of protestors have sat down on the grid. Very lucky that the race didn’t start. Properly dangerous. pic.twitter.com/FeYG9yH7wt
— Neil Winn (@NeilBWinn) April 23, 2023
Environmental protestors in Formula E… 😂 pic.twitter.com/HKKcjIa4F7
— Laurens Vanthoor (@VanthoorLaurens) April 23, 2023
are those seriously climate protestors…at a Formula E Race?
💀💀💀#FormulaE
— Mira | @lamira.bsky.social (@tiddyskttles) April 23, 2023
I support people’s right to protest. And I agree that things are getting worse and we need to stop climate change. It’s just that, if you’re going to protest climate change at a race where the series already has that in mind, then even people who agree with the overall point are going to laugh at you. Even if you had good reasons to protest the race.
Not to mention, running out on a racetrack with cars on the track can be potentially fatal not just for you, but for the race car drivers. There’s being disruptive in order to get people to notice your platform, and there’s potentially injuring or killing people when trying to make that point.
