Far-left group claims responsibility for sabotage that cut power to 50,000 households in Berlin
Vulkangruppe describes act as 'an action in the public interest'
Darkened streets and buildings are seen during a widespread power outage following a sabotage incident in Berlin, Germany, leaving around 50,000 households without electricity on January 05, 2026: Photo:Halil Sagirkaya/AA
BERLIN
A far-left group has claimed responsibility for a sabotage attack that left around 50,000 households without electricity in Berlin on Saturday.
According to reports in the German media, the Vulkangruppe sent a letter to police saying it had set fire to cables connected to an energy plant in the Lichterfelde district, describing the act as “an action in the public interest.”
The group claimed it had successfully sabotaged a natural gas power plant, portraying the attack as an act of international solidarity against the fossil fuel industry.
The group also apologized to residents of less affluent neighborhoods affected by the outage, saying its sympathy for the wealthy was limited.
Authorities said the Vulkangruppe has been linked to multiple arson attacks in Berlin and Brandenburg since 2011 and has also been associated with attacks on the electrical infrastructure of a Tesla factory in 2021 and 2024.
Berlin’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the group as anarchist.
The fire damaged electricity cables, cutting power to about 50,000 households and 2,000 commercial businesses, affecting more than 100,000 people. Officials say the outage could last until Jan. 8.
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