The barbarians are now in Germany, this time, they are taking the form of climate crisis zealots intent on destroying icons of Western Civilization.
The last time they struck, activists climbed into the Trevi Fountain in Rome and poured diluted charcoal into the water to turn it black. Two weeks ago, Germany’s famous Brandenburg Gate was defaced and damaged by eco-extremists.
Climate activists sprayed orange and yellow paint on the columns of Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate on Sunday to push demands for a stop to the use of fossil fuels by 2030.”Members of the so-called ‘Last Generation’ sprayed the columns on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate with orange paint from fire extinguishers during the morning,” Berlin police said on X, formerly known as Twitter.It added that police officers noticed a hydraulic lift was being operated at the gate and they kept the protesters from scaling the landmark building. They arrested all 14 protesters at the site and launched an investigation into property damage.The Last Generation, a Germany-based group within the Europe-wide A22 network that includes Britain’s Just Stop Oil, has made headlines in Germany with hundreds of road blocks by protesters who glued themselves to the tarmac.
Due to the nature of the damage inflicted, the costs associated with restoration have escalated.
The cost of cleaning the gate was initially put at about 35,000 euros ($36,900). But the management company, Berliner Immobilienmanagement, made clear that it now expects a bigger and much more expensive effort.The color that was used has seeped deeper into the sandstone monument than originally thought because of its water content, BIM said in a statement. It added that various cleaning techniques have been tested, and a combination of those methods will probably have to be used — as well as the potential use of laser technology.That means the cleaning work will probably take “several weeks” and the costs will increase, BIM added. It said that it’s not currently possible to give a precise figure, but it expects “costs in the six-digit region” because scaffolding will have to put up around parts of the gate.
Such tactics have led to a drop in support for climate activists’ policies. One such poll focused on German opinions.
A 2022 survey conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center found that Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of these sorts of stunts.In fact, 46% of respondents said nonviolent disruptive protests decrease their support for efforts to address climate change, and a mere 13% said they increase them.A similar poll from Germany found that 83% of respondents felt climate protests had gone too far.
Over one dozen people were arrested in association with the damage.
The protesters’ actions were condemned by Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner who told German news agency DPA that these tactics went beyond legitimate forms of protest.“The group is not only damaging the historic Brandenburg Gate, but also our free discourse about the important issues of our time and future,” he said.German police have confirmed that they detained 14 people affiliated with the campaign group and have opened an investigation into criminal damage to the property.Posting images of the action on X, formerly known as Twitter, Last Generation said it would only stop protesting once change begins.
Until the media dials back climate panic, legislatures and leaders weigh other studies and historical evidence related to climate fairly and objectively, and those who despoil cultural icons are effectively punished, expect more monuments that attest to the beauty and greatness of Western Civilization to be targeted.
Groups like “Last Generation” and “Extinction Rebellion” apparently want us to be the last generation and extinct . . . so they will never be satisfied no matter the “change” enacted.
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