German politicians demand better airport security after activist blockades

German politicians demanded better protection for the country's airports on Thursday after climate activists were able to breach fences and disrupt air traffic for the second day in a row. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, whose ministry wants to punish unauthorised airfield access with up to two years in jail, criticised the blockades as "dangerous, dumb and criminal" as well as airport operators for not better securing their sites. "Airport operators must do more to protect their facilities, and we are in close contact with the firms on this," she said. Traffic at Frankfurt airport, Germany's busiest, was halted temporarily on Thursday after activists blocked runways by gluing themselves to the tarmac, a day after similar action affected Cologne-Bonn airport, the country's sixth-largest. The Frankfurt protesters were able to cut through a wire mesh fence to access the airport grounds, the activists said. The activists have vowed that the blockades are just the beginning of a campaign to exit oil, gas and coal by 2030 and have listed several countries across Europe and North America where disruptions are planned in the coming weeks. Similar actions at other European airports, including London, Vienna, Oslo and Zurich, had been foiled by authorities. "The damage to the economy and society is immense. That is why the judiciary and authorities must take much more consistent action," said German flagship airline Lufthansa in a statement.<br/>