On March 4, 2023, climate chaos smeared the glass sculpture of the Basic Law in the Bundestag Photo: picture alliance/dpa/BZ assembly
By Larissa Hoppe
Climate chaotic Paulin F. daubed and pasted Dani Karavan’s work of art “Basic Law 49” on the Jakob-Kaiser-Haus in the Bundestag – and was acquitted. A comment from Larissa Hoppe, deputy editor-in-chief.
This judgment against a climate chaotic woman is a license for all hacks – as long as the paint can be washed off again.
A car soiled? Spilled a shop window? No problem, one might think in the future. Under the guise of “art” and as long as there are no visible consequences, any damage to property can now get away with an acquittal.
957.95 euros cleaning costs and the message conveyed by the action that the Basic Law is obviously worth nothing – the court apparently doesn’t care, but taken in isolation it’s a process that shouldn’t just be waved through!
Why this mildness? Courts may well ask what the motives are behind a crime. And what signal emanates from their judgment.