- Orange paint protest in German cities
- Letzte Generation demands climate action
- Political vandalism sparks controversy
In seven German cities, eco-activists funded by California splattered orange paint on Christmas trees as a demonstration against the German government’s inaction on climate change.
Two protestors sprayed orange paint from fire extinguishers onto a Christmas tree in a video uploaded to X last week, while a third unfurled a banner in close proximity.
Letzte Generation, which translates to ‘Last Generation’ in German, published the video.
As a form of dissent, Letzte Generation has been observed spraying its signature orange in public spaces.
The most recent instance of political vandalism, as documented on the group’s social media platforms, was a component of a coordinated protest that occurred in several German cities.
Headquarters in Los Angeles houses The Climate Emergency Fund. It provides Letzte Generation with a significant portion of its funding for recruitment and action, according to the organization’s website.
“We coloured Christmas trees orange in Berlin, Oldenburg, Kiel, Leipzig, Rostock, Nuremberg, and Munich,” the group wrote in an additional post regarding the holiday demonstration.
The group’s announcements suggest that it selected the holiday season on purpose for the demonstration.
The group wrote in its next post, in reference to the COP28 climate negotiations in Dubai, “Amidst the flashing lights, shiny jewellery, and festive atmosphere, it’s easy to forget: We’re racing full speed towards catastrophe, and our governments are failing miserably to apply the emergency brake in Dubai.”
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Letzte Generation’s Provocative Protests
A third post on X depicted additional group members standing in front of two spray-painted Christmas trees.
“We demand that you all work harmoniously together to avert a three-degree increase in global temperature,” the post stated. Such actions cannot be trusted to governments and corporations. It is incumbent upon us to proactively respond by means of civil disobedience.
Protests organised by Letzte Generation are notoriously disruptive, including those that obstruct public roads.
The group garnered significant media attention in September due to a violent outbreak during one of their demonstrations.
A Mannheim, Germany, driver who exited his vehicle while the group sat across the road shot several protestors.
In September, the collective executed an additional disorderly demonstration by applying orange paint to the renowned Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The protest “unifies opinion: The time has come for a political revolution,” the organisation stated in a statement at the time. “Instead of fossil fuels, we must strive for equity.”
In May, German police conducted nationwide searches on the residences of seven Letzte Generation members. The effort aimed to collect evidence supporting the group’s classification as a criminal organization.
