“Last generation” daubed constitutional monument
Updated on 03/05/2023 – 08:40Reading time: 2 min.
Activists of the “Last Generation” pour a black liquid on a monument in the Bundestag. (Source: Christian Mang/Reuters)
Climate activists of the “last generation” are trying out a new form of protest: they have soiled the glass sculpture “Basic Law 49” on the Spree promenade.
Climate protection activists have smeared 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 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” group. Officials would have determined their personal details, and criminal investigations would be initiated if necessary. 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 climate protection activists’ protest was directed at the German 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 is coming to a standstill. The Amazon rainforest is dying,” they criticize . “The government has a constitutional duty to protect our livelihoods and freedoms. The government is failing in its duty.”
criminal investigations initiated
According to the spokesman, the police were alerted on Saturday morning. The operation lasted until noon. The forces discovered six activists from the group “Last Generation” on the glass sculpture, whose personal details were recorded. All received a place reference, as a police spokesman said. Several Berlin media had previously reported about it. Various criminal investigations were initiated, including for damage to property and violation of the Freedom of Assembly Act.
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, supporters of the group felled a smaller tree in front of the Chancellery in Berlin. The “last generation” emerged after a climate hunger strike in the capital and is calling 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.
