Berlin is suing Last Generation eco-activists for defacing Brandenburg Gate

The organization likes to get in hot water with its attacks on attacks of valuable heritage works

Last Generation is an environmental activist organization that has managed to capture the general public’s attention with its daring and often outrageous stunts, such as glueing themselves to asphalt or attacking classic works of art and architecture. Some media have even labelled them as “climate terrorists”.

Just yesterday, they once again made headlines by sticking images of floods in Italy directly onto the iconic Birth of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli, held at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Luckily, the masterpiece was not harmed since it was covered by a glass shield.

Another piece of news that came out today, however, shows that there might be retribution to the unbridled excesses of the eco-activists after it was announced that the State of Berlin will sue Last Generation for 142,000 euros. The reason for the financial demand was the activists’ campaign last autumn when they painted the parts of the Brandenburg Gate with orange paint.

Proceedings against the environmentalists in Berlin

Last Generation activists targeted the site, considered the symbol of the German capital, twice. The first time, in September 2023, they spray-painted six pillars using fire extinguishers. This resulted in the arrest of 14 people, but it also showed that the clean-up operation would be costly and tough.

At first, Last Generation agreed to pay for the cleaning, but then when presented with the bill they ignored it. Not only that, but they actually went back to the Brandenburg Gate again in November and manually painted two more pillars.

According to Berlin’s Finance Senator Stefan Evers, quoted by Tagesschau, this was vandalism and it should suffer consequences. 

Berliners should not have to bear the costs of “criminal activities,” he emphasized. "Willful destructiveness is not a form of democratic debate."

Now the State has filed a civil lawsuit against the organization demanding 142,000 euros for damages. The lawsuit is directed against 13 members of the group and is expected that the trial will begin on 26 March.