The Wuppertal public prosecutor’s office confirmed an attempted arson attack on the Erkrath substation on 5 January 2026. Unknown suspects sprayed graffiti on the transformer house with slogans including ‘KAB’, ‘SWITCH OFF’, and identified themselves as part of ‘Kommando Angry Birds’. The attackers aimed to disrupt power supply by setting fire to transformers, citing environmental concerns as their motive. The attack did not succeed, and the substation remained operational. Authorities have emphasized the seriousness due to the risk of a major power outage, and the investigation is now under the state security division in Düsseldorf. The incident highlights growing threats to critical infrastructure by politically motivated groups.
Category: Energy & Infrastructure Attacks
Subcategory: Critical Infrastructure Sabotage
Incident Type: Power grids, pipelines
Country: Germany
Source report: www1.wdr.de/nachricht…
