New symbolic action by climate activists. After the tomato soup, the hand glued to the asphalt, the Berlin Christmas tree was targeted by activists who cut off the top. The “Last Generation” group, which originated many punch campaigns to raise awareness of global warming, wanted to show that Germany had only seen the “peak” of the current climate catastrophe, they said in a press release.
Two activists from the group used a scissor lift to climb to the top of the 15-meter-tall tree that was erected in the heart of the capital early in the morning. Armed with a saw, they cut “two meters” off the top of the tree, the group said, with images supporting it. A banner reading “It’s just the top of the Christmas tree” was also hung.
Multiple punch actions
Last generation has again called on the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to do more to combat global warming. The group has drawn attention to itself in recent months through numerous acts of civil disobedience, including blocking major highways and spraying various substances on museum plaques. German politicians had expressed their displeasure, but Olaf Scholz instead called on the activists to show “a little creativity”.
Their initiatives could lead to a court case, as a regional prosecutor’s office recently launched investigations into activists “suspected of forming or supporting a criminal organization.” This restriction and the searches conducted as part of this investigation have sparked lively debate even in a country where environmentalists are members of the governing coalition.