Overview
- Police discovered new damage to the rainbow-coloured bench in Tiergarten during an overnight patrol, marking the third deliberate attack on the memorial in recent weeks and prompting an active investigation by the polizeilicher Staatsschutz.
- The latest vandalism damaged multiple wooden slats of the bench’s seat and broke at least one slat completely, and authorities said repairs will be carried out again.
- The bench was installed by the Bezirk Mitte on August 6 to replace a tree removed after the July 25 attack and to provide a visible place for mourning and a symbol of diversity and self‑determination.
- Separately in September, unknown persons uprooted and damaged the newly planted replacement tree beside the bench, underlining that the memorial site has been repeatedly targeted.
- Investigators are treating the pattern of destruction as potentially politically or ideologically motivated, there have been no arrests or public conclusions about motive yet, and the attacks raise concerns about protecting public remembrance and the safety of affected communities.