Three Climate Activists Arrested in NRW After Attempt to Paint Chancellor Merz's Plane Pink

In Arnsberg-Menden, North Rhine-Westphalia, three climate activists were arrested for trespassing at a private airport in an attempt to paint Chancellor Friedrich Merz's private plane pink as a protest. The group, consisting of two women aged 23 and 28 and a 56-year-old man, cut through a fence to access the airport grounds. The police initially grew suspicious after encountering a vehicle near the airport, leading to the discovery of the activists. Notably, the man in the vehicle has a history of left-wing politically motivated crime.

The activists, identifying as the Widerstands-Kollektiv, aimed to "decommission" Merz's plane by painting it pink and to promote the message "Mobility for all instead of for the wealthy," even bringing a bicycle as symbolic transportation for the Chancellor, who is an avid pilot residing in the Sauerland region. Despite the arrests, all three were released without charges, as police found no grounds for detention.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between climate activists and political figures in Germany amid broad public concern for climate policy. A recent survey showed 72% of Germans acknowledge climate change as real and human-caused, with 55% wanting increased political climate action, underscoring the significance of climate debates in the country.

The protest specifically targeted Chancellor Merz’s private transportation as a symbol of wealth and climate irresponsibility, emphasizing activists’ calls for more sustainable mobility options. The peaceful but disruptive nature of the protest and the subsequent release of suspects reveal the complexities in Germany’s handling of climate activism and property laws.