Munich Airport forced to close for two hours after climate protesters glue themselves to runway

Eight climate protesters have been arrested after shutting down Munich Airport and causing about 60 flight cancellations.

Six of the activists glued themselves to a runway access road early on Saturday morning, but the situation is now under control with both runways open.

Climate protest group Last Generation took responsibility in videos on X showing its members wearing orange vests on the tarmac.

"A total of six people are sitting in two groups on different locations of the Munich airport," one of the posts said.

"It is absurd that people can afford flights more than train journeys," said another post from the group.

"The responsibility for this lies with the government: it subsidises flights while the railways are ruined by cost-cutting."

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

Some 11 flights were also diverted, around 60 cancelled, and delays were still possible, the spokesperson added.

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

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Interior minister Nancy Faeser said security would be reviewed and "the perpetrators must be vigorously pursued".

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

Volker Wissing, the transport minister, said new laws were needed to increase punishments for such protests, which are currently only classed as minor offences.