Peace protesters brought a (decommissioned) tank to Rheinmetall's annual general meeting in Berlin. The German weapons manufacturer wants to avoid controls on arms exports by building tank factories in Turkey.
Deutschland Protest vor der Rheinmetall Hauptversammlung in Berlin (DW/B. Knight)
It had been a while since a tank appeared outside the German Defense Ministry, but a Leopard 1 rolled up to the military's political headquarters in Berlin on Tuesday morning, along with about a hundred protesters - some wearing masks and others covered from head to foot in cartoons and slogans - from a panoply of peace organizations and political parties.
Bothering ministry officials turned out to be a bonus, because the flag-waving campaigners from Campact, Aktion Aufschrei (Action Outcry), the Greens and the Left party were actually there to spoil the party for the stockholders of Rheinmetall - one of Germany's biggest military firms - who had gathered on the other side of the road for their annual general meeting in the Maritim Hotel.
The location of the AGM was also convenient for former Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung, who was confirmed to Rheinmetall's executive board on Tuesday. The former Christian Democrat politician was seen rushing past the demo into his old ministry before dodging back out again and into the hotel - followed by a chorus of boos.
More:
http://www.dw.com/en/protesters-deploy-tank-against-german-turkish-arms-deal/a-38774244Take note. THAT is how to protest.
