On Thursday evening (February 16) the 72nd Berlinale opened at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. Two activists from the protest group “Last Generation” glued themselves to the red carpet in front of the “Berlinale Palast” with superglue.
After the celebrities around this year’s jury chairman Kristen Stewart, as well as Anne Hathaway, Elyas M’Barek, Matthias Schweighöfer, Lars Eidinger and Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck had already taken a seat inside the building, a man and a woman crossed the barrier, the Separates passers-by from celebrities. They wore shirts that said “Last Generation,” which quickly made it clear who you were dealing with. Then they moved purposefully towards the red carpet. A video shows the man sticking himself to the ground after a brief scuffle with a security guard. A few boos can be heard, but also approval.
+++ #Berlinale – Stuck on the red carpet +++
How nice it is to come together in safety and freedom to enjoy films from all over the world.
But that will not last if we continue to allow the government to destroy our livelihoods. pic.twitter.com/7uHASMGYVZ
— Last Generation (@uprisingLastGen) February 16, 2023
The activist then spoke up. 20-year-old Lara Winkelmann said in a statement:
“If we continue escaping from reality, we will tear the first climate tipping points and unleash a deadly avalanche from which there is no escape.”
After their action, they and 26-year-old Raphael Voellmy were taken away by the police.
The “Last Generation” mostly pursues their superglue strategy to block traffic on major roads in the federal capital and other major cities. This tactic has also been used on the conductor’s podium in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and on the picture frames of well-known works of fine art in various German museums. In its plan for 2023, the group has announced that it intends to expand its actions.