“I Stick To Money”: Activist Disguised As CDU Minister Glues Herself to Museum Display
The protest targeted the economics minister's corporate ties, and briefly brought police to the Bode Museum.
Wednesday, April 15
Berlin’s Museumsinsel saw an unusual disruption on Tuesday afternoon: inside the Bode Museum, an activist super-glued herself to a glass display case in the coin cabinet, prompting a police response and a temporary disruption to visitors.
The action was claimed by the group Neue Generation, a successor to the disbanded Letzte Generation, whose glue-based road blockades defined the last few years on Berlin climate activism. This time, the setting was less motorway, more museum.
Dressed as Germany’s Economic Affairs Minister, Katherina Reiche (CDU), and wearing a mask of her face, the sticky protestor attached a hand to the coin cabinet and held up a sign that read, “Katherina Super-Reiche". In a statement, the group said the action was intended to criticise what it sees as the minister’s lack of independence from corporate interests.
"I'm Katherina Super-Rich and I stick to money!" Neue Generation wrote on Instagram. "Reiche does not maintain the necessary critical distance from the business community to make independent decisions as a minister in the best interests of the public."
In a statement, the group said the action was intended to criticise what it sees as the minister’s lack of independence from corporate interests.
Compared to previous glue-based interventions, the stakes were relatively low. No masterpieces were threatened, no soup was thrown, but the familiar tactic nonetheless got attention.
Police arrived on site around 4pm and later confirmed that the woman was removed from the display. An investigation for trespassing is now underway. According to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, no objects were damaged.
