Members of a climate group on Wednesday chopped the top off a Christmas tree next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, in the group’s latest protest pushing for greater action to combat the climate crisis.
Two women from the Last Generation campaign group used a mechanical platform to ascend to the top of the 15m tree and sawed off a 2m section.
A banner attached to the platform read: “This is only the tip of the Christmas tree.”
Photo: AP
Brandishing the sawn-off section, climate advocate Lilli Gomez said: “In Germany, we are so far only seeing the tip of the underlying disaster. While all of Germany is spending the week getting the best presents from the biggest shops, others are wondering where they will get water to drink, after droughts and floods destroyed their crops.”
She called on the German government to do more to avert a looming “climate collapse.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
THREE MEMBERS DETAINED
A Berlin police spokeswoman said that three members of the group had been detained, and were being investigated for damaging property.
Climate campaigners in Germany have in the past few weeks been stepping up protests, blockading motorways, major city roads and airports, as well as gluing themselves to famous paintings in museums.
Last week, investigators raided the homes of several alleged Last Generation members, accusing them of backing a “criminal association.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also criticized the group, saying that action such as a blockade of an airport in Berlin last month was “not only incomprehensible, but also highly dangerous.”
“Those involved should consider activities other than those that are accepted by almost no one in Germany,” he said.
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