German climate change activists glue themselves to DINOSAUR skeleton at Berlin Museum

The Daily Mail

German climate change activists glue themselves to DINOSAUR skeleton at Berlin Museum

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Two environmental activists glued themselves to an exhibition of a dinosaur skeleton at 's Natural History Museum on Sunday to protest against the German government's climate policies. In Berlin, two women wearing orange vests stuck themselves to metal poles supporting a dinosaur skeleton that was over 60 million years old, holding a banner that read: 'What if the government doesn't have it under control?' They did not touch or do any damage to the skeleton itself. It was the latest such stunt by climate campaigners at a museum in a spate of incidents in which eco-warriors have targeted high-profile artworks across Europe. The women were removed by the police after security guards at the museum alerted them to the incident. The protest was the latest effort to force governments around the world to take swift action to reduce emissions over the damage global warming is doing to the planet. One of the women, Caris Connell, said she was scared of 'forest fires, water shortages, famines, and war. 'Dinosaurs died out, because they could not withstand massive changes to the climate. That is also threatening us,' added the 34-year-old. The other activist, Solvig Schinkoethe, said as a mother of four she feared the consequences of climate change. 'Peaceful resistance is the way we have chosen to protect our children from the deadly ignorance of governments,' said the 42-year-old. They called on the government in Berlin to take quick steps to cut emissions, such as by setting a speed limit on motorways and introducing more affordable public transport. Climate change is having a vast impact on the planet as temperatures rise and more extreme weather becomes normalised. Thousands of species are at risk of extinction due to the warming, caused by humans' reliance on fossil fuels. The Poles are melting at the fastest pace on record, leaving many communities around the world facing displacement due to rising sea levels. Meanwhile climate change related events such as huge forest fires and prolonged heatwaves are becoming more common, and were particularly noticeable across Europe this summer. The UN warned before COP26 in Glasgow that the Earth is facing a last-chance saloon, and governments must take action now. Despite this, new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has demoted the Minister for the Environment from his Cabinet and said he will not attend COP27, which starts next Sunday. The Berlin museum said police brought the incident to an end in under an hour. There was property damage, and criminal charges have been filed, it added in a statement. The activists were from the group Letzte Generaton (Last Generation), which earlier this month splashed mashed potatoes on Claude Monet's $111-million Les Meules (Haystacks) at the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany. It came on the same day that a separate group of German activists glued themselves to a brand new BMW M8 in Munich. Those involved were from Scientist Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion. At least 14 people were involved in the stunt and around 40 police officers were called to unglue and arrest them. In recent days eco-groups in Germany have also blocked major roads. There has been a rise in protests targeting works of art in recent weeks. Climate activists glued themselves to Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' at a Dutch museum, and threw soup at Vincent van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' at the National Gallery in London. Activists for Just Stop Oil have blocked roads on every day of October in the capital, as well as spraying luxury brands and fossil fuel-linked buildings with orange paint.