Climate extremists claim responsibility for major German blackout

A large-scale power outage has left five districts in southwestern Berlin without electricity, affecting up to 50,000 households and more than 2,000 businesses, as police investigate what they say was a deliberate arson attack.

The blackout began in the early hours of Saturday after a fire damaged a power bridge over the Teltow Canal, cutting electricity to wide areas of the city. Grid operator Stromnetz Berlin said full power restoration is not expected before January 8, meaning residents may be without electricity for several days as temperatures remain below freezing.

Emergency services were forced to evacuate several nursing homes and elderly care facilities as a precaution, though authorities say no injuries have been reported.

Police confirmed they received a letter on Saturday evening from a group calling itself the “Volcano Group,” which described its members as climate activists and anti-fascists. In the message, the group claimed responsibility for the blackout, saying it had sabotaged energy infrastructure in protest against fossil fuels and wealthy elites. The group argued that industrial exploitation of natural resources is destroying the planet and claimed its actions were socially beneficial.

Germany’s domestic security authorities are examining the letter to determine whether it is genuine. According to local media, the same group has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past, including the sabotage of power cables in southeastern Berlin last September that also left around 50,000 households without electricity.