A far-left activist organization known as the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) has publicly admitted to orchestrating a destructive arson assault on Berlin’s electrical infrastructure, plunging approximately 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses into darkness during sub-zero temperatures over the weekend. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday when incendiary devices ignited multiple cables on a bridge adjacent to a gas-fired power plant in south-west Berlin. Although emergency crews rapidly extinguished the flames, the damage inflicted was severe enough to trigger a massive power outage.
Berlin’s mayor vehemently condemned what authorities are describing as a premeditated act of domestic terrorism, emphasizing that suspected left-wing extremists knowingly jeopardized human lives, particularly vulnerable patients dependent on medical equipment in hospitals and care facilities. Emergency response teams immediately deployed backup generators to critical healthcare institutions and initiated patient transfers to facilities with operational power capacity within the capital region.
By Sunday afternoon, restoration efforts had successfully reconnected approximately 10,000 households and 300 businesses, though officials from Berlin’s electricity operator indicated full recovery would require until Thursday. The extended outage has forced the closure of some schools scheduled to resume classes after Christmas holidays, disrupting educational continuity for numerous students.
In an online manifesto, the Vulkangruppe framed their assault as an ‘act of self-defense’ against fossil fuel economies, expressing particular apology to economically disadvantaged residents while displaying open contempt for affluent homeowners. German police investigating the incident have assessed the group’s claim as ‘plausible,’ noting the organization’s previous involvement in a similar attack that disrupted operations at Tesla’s Berlin manufacturing facility in 2024.