Home / Disasters and Accidents / Berlin Blackout: Far-Left Attack Plunges City into Darkness
Berlin Blackout: Far-Left Attack Plunges City into Darkness
4 Jan
Summary
- Suspected arson attack left tens of thousands without electricity.
- Power restoration efforts are ongoing; 35,000 households affected.
- Far-left group 'Volcano Group' claimed responsibility for the attack.
A suspected arson attack in southwest Berlin has left tens of thousands without electricity, with officials pointing to far-left extremist involvement. The incident, which occurred on or before Sunday, January 4, 2026, has significantly impacted the German capital's power grid. Stromnetz Berlin reported that up to 45,000 households could be affected, with ongoing efforts to restore power to the approximately 35,000 households and 1,900 commercial entities still in the dark as of Sunday.
Security authorities have classified a letter claiming responsibility as authentic. The letter, purportedly from the far-left activist organization 'Volcano Group,' stated that the actions were directed against the fossil-fuel-based energy industry. Berlin's interior affairs minister, Iris Spranger, condemned the attack on the city's residents and visitors, confirming that investigations are continuing.
This event bears similarities to a September 2025 arson attack on two pylons that also left around 50,000 Berlin households without power. Local media noted that the previous incident also showed parallels to the Volcano Group's high-profile attack on the power supply of Tesla's gigafactory in Gruenheide in 2024.
