The Berlin police are now assessing new threats against the capital’s power grid as significantly more serious than previously reported. According to internal documents obtained by the newspaper Welt, the police evaluate an appeal issued by a group suspected of being left-wing extremist not merely as authentic, but specifically as “very serious”. This marks a notable escalation from previous statements, where the police had only referenced “unspecified threat scenarios”.
The catalyst for this heightened concern is a posting titled “Cut the Power, so we can see the stars” which appeared several days ago on Indymedia, a website associated with left-wing extremism. The anonymous authors of the post referred to previous acts of sabotage against Berlin’s energy supply and called for solidarity with those affected by police operations. Security authorities view the content as combining anarchistic, anti-militaristic, and anti-technology themes, while also celebrating the idea of sabotage. The internal reports further specify potential targets, naming energy facilities, state institutions, and companies in the technology and defense sectors.
The leaked documents also provide, for the first time, a detailed perpetrator profile and suggested modus operandi. Investigators are looking into small, conspiratorial groups that are believed to operate primarily at night. These individuals are expected to disguise themselves, use bicycles for evasion, and set up meeting points in inconspicuous locations like parks or poorly monitored areas. Escape routes are reportedly planned through areas that are difficult to access. Furthermore, the text alleges that incendiary devices or sabotage materials are sometimes pre-buried in earth depots weeks in advance. Police sources indicate that in the event of an escape, the perpetrators may be required to cover significant distances.
