Climate Activists Acquitted in Brandenburger Tor Paint Protest Case

A Berlin court ruled that the symbolic protest caused no lasting damage, citing the ease of cleanup as a key factor in the decision.

Two activists from the climate group Letzte Generation were acquitted of property damage charges after painting a column of the Brandenburger Tor with orange paint in November 2023.
The court determined that the protest did not result in permanent alteration to the landmark, as the paint was removed within 30 seconds by a cleaning company.
The activists, including prominent figure Lilli Gomez, argued that their action was a symbolic protest and intentionally caused no harm, as the area was pre-treated with graffiti protection.
Prosecutors had sought monetary fines, citing Gomez's prior convictions for protest-related offenses, but the court sided with the defense's argument for acquittal.
This ruling follows earlier convictions of other activists for a separate, more damaging paint-spraying protest at the same site in September 2023, which caused significant cleanup costs.