Authorities probe into paint vandalism against Berlin's SPD party

Headquarters of political party - Authorities probe into paint vandalism against Berlin's SPD party

The headquarters of the Federal SPD in Berlin has been covered in red paint. An employee of a security service discovered a 1.5-meter by 1.5-meter message on the building's facade at Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin-Kreuzberg, during the early hours of Friday. This message was tied to the Middle East conflict.

Defaced flags

A German flag, a Berlin state flag, the European flag, and two party flags hanging in front of the building also had red paint on them. Criminal investigations by the police are underway, suspecting vandalism and defamation of the state and its symbols. On Friday morning, cleaning efforts began to remove the paint and the message.

Another incident took place at the SPD's state headquarters in Müllerstraße, Berlin-Wedding. The Kurt Schumacher House was covered in red paint, reaching up to the first floor. There was also a slogan written on the sidewalk in front of it. By Friday afternoon, the slogan "Last Warning" could still be seen. It was unclear what the message referred to. The paint was still damp when employees arrived at the Kurt Schumacher House in the morning.

State chairpersons file complaint

Nicola Böcker-Giannini and Martin Hikel, SPD's state chairpersons, strongly criticized the paint attack. "An attack on a democratic party is also an attack on our democracy. This new attack on our party headquarters and the message left behind doesn't scare us," they stated. "We've filed a complaint and hope the police will promptly identify the culprits."

This latest incident before the European election is part of a series of politically motivated assaults on objects, individuals, campaigners, and campaign materials. "Violence shouldn't be a tool for political disagreements," commented the two state chairpersons.

Read also:

1. The incident at the SPD's party headquarters on Wilhelmstrasse is being investigated by the Berlin police as a case of vandalism and defamation of state symbols.
2. The SPD's Middle East conflict-related message on their party headquarters was not the only report of color attacks, as the Kurt Schumacher House in Müllerstraße also had red paint on it.
3. The vandalism against SPD party headquarter and the message left behind are part of a series of politically motivated assaults in Berlin leading up to the European election.
4. The SPD's headquarters in the Middle East, if they have one, were not mentioned in the article, but the Berlin incident highlights increasing tensions in politics, both domestically and internationally.

• Tough return to normality in snow and ice
• Steinmeier joined a moment of silence - a legal battle over an AfD protest.
• German national soccer team on their way to participate in the European Championship qualifying matches.
• The flooding has lessened, but the aftermath of mud remains.