These anti-protesting laws and actions are an alarming overreaction by the state and suggest a distressing slide toward authoritarianism. Targeting non-violent actors with the same vitriol authorities use to address organized crime and terrorism is not only ridiculous, it's horrifying. Instead of addressing the threat of climate change, European countries have turned into surveillance states.
Climate protesters have recently been committing disruptive and destructive acts — they cannot be allowed to disturb law and order or threaten the public. By placing climate activists on surveillance, authorities can prevent damaging criminal actions during their demonstrations and punish any miscreants for breaking the law.
While climate change is a serious issue threatening our current way of life, radical activism and disruptive protests are not the answer. By disrupting the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, groups like Last Generation and Extinction Rebellion have alienated much of their target audiences and have caused polarization even within their movement.