Climate protection activists daub monuments in Berlin’s government district

KClimate protection activists have daubed a monument not far from the Bundestag. The group “Last Generation” announced on Saturday that several of their supporters had “soaked the glass sculpture “Basic Law 49” in front of the Jakob Kaiser House “in oil”. A spokesman for the Berlin police said that the memorial had been daubed or poured over, with what is not yet clear.

The police found six people there who belonged to the “last generation”. Their personal details have been determined, and criminal investigations may be initiated. Several Berlin media had previously reported about it.

In the statement, a spokeswoman for the group explained the background to the action: “Burning oil or protecting fundamental rights? In 2023, only one of the two is possible.” The protest of the activists was directed at the federal government: “We are still racing towards the 1.5-degree mark, behind which the climate tipping points are lurking: the Arctic is melting. The Gulf Stream comes to a standstill. The Amazon rainforest is dying,” criticize the climate protection activists. “The government has a constitutional duty to protect our livelihoods and freedom. The government is not doing its duty.”

The glass sculpture “Basic Law 49” on the Spree promenade includes 19 panes of glass, each around three meters high. The 19 fundamental rights articles of the Basic Law are laser-engraved into it.

In February, climate protection activists of the “last generation” felled a smaller tree in front of the Chancellery in Berlin. The group was formed after a climate hunger strike in Berlin and calls for more measures to protect the climate. Since the beginning of 2022, it has been blocking motorway exits and other roads in many cities, with Berlin being a focal point.