Left-wing extremists ignited a fire that plunged 50,000 Berlin households into freezing darkness, exposing the deadly hypocrisy of eco-terrorism in the dead of winter.
Story Snapshot
- Volcano Group, anarchist leftists, claimed arson on January 3, 2026, targeting Lichterfelde gas plant cable bridge.
- Outage hit 45,000-50,000 households and 2,200 businesses across four districts, disrupting heat and power amid snow.
- Group apologized to poor residents but targeted fossil fuels, ignoring risks to hospitals and elderly.
- Officials condemn as inhumane terrorism; restoration delayed to January 8 due to weather damage.
- Pattern of attacks reveals ignored warnings on left-wing infrastructure sabotage.
Attack Unfolds on Freezing Morning
Fire erupted on January 3, 2026, morning on a cable bridge over Teltow Canal near Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant in southwest Berlin. Flames damaged critical infrastructure, triggering immediate blackout. Stromnetz Berlin reported over 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses lost power across four districts. Heating systems failed, internet vanished, and freezing temperatures amplified suffering for vulnerable residents.
Police classified the incident as arson from the start. Initial response focused on containment amid snowy conditions. Impacts rippled to hospitals, care facilities, and social institutions, endangering lives dependent on consistent electricity.
Volcano Group Claims Responsibility
Volcano Group released a letter on January 4, 2026, authenticated by Interior Minister Iris Spranger. The anarchists declared they “successfully sabotaged” the plant to strike the fossil fuel economy. They framed the act as public interest against gas power, expressing regret only to lower-income victims while scorning the wealthy.
Berlin’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution labels Volcano Group as left-wing extremists active since 2011. They adopt Icelandic volcano aliases and target energy sites with arson, aligning with anti-capitalist, anti-fossil fuel ideology. This claim matches their pattern of international solidarity attacks.
Officials Confront Eco-Anarchist Threat
Mayor Kai Wegner denounced the sabotage as left-wing extremism endangering lives, linking it to prior incidents. Senator Franziska Giffey highlighted disruptions to critical services. Spranger called it an “inhumane attack,” launching full investigation. Federal warnings from Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in 2021 had flagged such risks, yet patterns persisted unchecked.
Common sense demands rejecting this violence. Facts show Volcano Group’s repeated strikes—railways, radio masts, Tesla Gigafactory—undermine security without advancing environment. Conservative values prioritize rule of law over destructive radicalism that harms innocents.
History of Repeated Sabotage
Volcano Group escalated attacks over years. From 2011-2019, they torched railways, vehicles, and data lines. In 2021, arson hit Tesla Gigafactory transmitter tower, decrying SUVs as killing machines. 2024 brought power cable fires at the same site. May 2025 targeted Grunewald radio mast in wealthy areas. September 2025 arson in Johannisthal blacked out 50,000 households, suspected their work.
These acts expose grid vulnerabilities, especially in winter. Authorities note parallels to foreign sabotage like Russia’s, but domestic leftists prove equally reckless, prioritizing ideology over civilian safety.
Impacts Echo in Freezing Cold
As of January 4, 35,000 households and 1,900 businesses remained powerless. Restoration stretched to January 8 due to extensive cable damage and subzero weather. Elderly, hospitals, and low-income families suffered most, contradicting the group’s selective apologies. Businesses halted operations, piling economic losses atop human costs.
Short-term health risks mounted from failed heating; long-term, grids demand fortified security. Political fallout renews debates on extremism, urging policies that protect infrastructure from ideological fanatics. Germany’s conservative voices rightly demand accountability, proving tolerance of anarchy invites chaos.
Sources:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/berlin-power-grid-attack-caused-by-extremist-leftists-officials-say/
