SHARE
COPY LINK

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate activists scale Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate

Activists from the “Last Generation” group climbed one of Germany’s most famous landmarks Wednesday morning.

Climate activists scale Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate
Climate activists with the "Last Generation" scale Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to hang a protest sign. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Paul Zinken

Berliners – and the city’s many tourists – woke up to a sign hung conspicuously over the Brandenburg Gate, perhaps the capital’s most famous landmark.

“Letzte Generation” or “Last Generation” activists scaled the gate to unravel the message, which read “we wish for survival for all.”

The group then tweeted out a video, saying “it is all our decision: do we want to live or die together?”

The word “together” is also deliberate, with activists having specifically chosen the anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall to campaign for support.

READ ALSO: Why November 9th is a fateful day in German history

Police arrived on scene a short time later.

Meanwhile, the group is demanding negotiations with senior members of the German government tomorrow on climate measures such as a speed limit on the German Autobahn and a nationwide €9 public transport ticket.

It says it will continue to protest if politicians don’t meet to negotiate.

Recently, Last Generation have courted controversy after activists threw potatoes on a Monet painting in Potsdam’s Barberini Museum and have repeatedly blocked important streets.

In one case, a protest caused a traffic jam that held up an ambulance responding to an accident where a cyclist later died.

Vocabulary

Climate activists – (die) Klimaaktivisten

Climate emergency – (der) Klimanotstand

Blockade (noun) or to blockade (verb) – (die) Blockade/blockaden

To climb – klettern

We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

CLIMATE CHANGE

German police target climate activists in nationwide raids

German investigators on Tuesday raided the homes of several climate activists belonging to the group "Last Generation", accusing them of backing a "criminal association".

German police target climate activists in nationwide raids

Eleven sites were targeted in the searches across the country, the prosecutor of Neuruppin district, in Brandenburg state, told AFP.

The investigation concerns the activists’ protest in April when they turned off fuel supplies to oil pipelines affecting sites including the PCK oil refinery in the town of Schwedt.

The climate group’s spokeswoman Carla Hinrichs confirmed the raids on Twitter, saying that her apartment was searched on Tuesday. She added that it was “frightening when police go through your closet.”

But she also defiantly added: “Do you think we’re going to stop now?”

Electronic devices like laptops and mobile phones as well as placards were seized in the raids, which took place around 6 am, the group said.

Activists from the group have in recent weeks blockaded motorways, major city roads and airports as well as glued themselves to famous paintings in museums to seek urgent action on the climate catastrophe.

Following an action in Berlin on Monday, in which protesters glued themselves to major roads, both police and politicians called for tougher consequences for activists in the capital.

READ ALSO: Berlin police call for consequences as climate protesters clue themselves to streets

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has criticised them, saying in November that action such as the blockade of Berlin airport was “not only incomprehensible but also highly dangerous”.

He added that he “didn’t understand how it helps the climate to smear works of art.”

“Those involved should consider activities other than those that are accepted by almost no one in Germany.”

READ ALSO: Flights disrupted as climate activists blockage Berlin Airport runway

SHOW COMMENTS