After Activists Glue Themselves to Floor, Porsche Museum Employees Went Home
If you haven't noticed, there has been a resurgence of climate activists taking to social media with their protests.
To raise awareness for their cause, activists have been resorting to "shock" events to gain media attention and, it appears (since I am writing about it), the protests are working.
The activists are visiting well-known locations across parts of Europe to create a public nuisance to garner attention for their cause (saving the planet is an admirable cause, one would say).
A group of activists in Germany recently threw mashed potatoes on a Monet and then promptly glued themselves to the wall of the museum to protest the government's lack of action to combat climate change.
A few weeks ago, another group took to a museum and opened cans of tomato soup, and threw the contents onto a Van Gogh painting. They, too, promptly glued themselves to the wall of the museum near the painting.
Last week, in Wolfsburg, Germany, over a dozen activists arrived at the Volkswagen Museum to sit in protest over Germany's speed limits (or lack thereof).
According to Autoblog, a group called the Scientist Rebellion entered the Volkswagen Museum and made its way to the Porsche display (Porsche is now owned by Volkswagen).
Several members of the group then glued themselves to the floor.
As the Autoblog points out, other protests usually worked out in favor of the activists: they walk in, cause a scene, glue themselves in place, and await the police.
What shows up right after the police? The press, ready to share the story globally.
Shortly after the press shows up, paramedics are called to the scene to help unglue the activists prior to their being arrested.
This process has given the activists tons of exposure (I'm doing it now!), putting the activists and their cause in the headlines.
But, things didn't exactly work out that way at the Volkswagen Museum.
The Autoblog says that the staff recognized the group's right to protest, so they didn't call the police and allowed the protest to go on. What did they do?
They left at the end of the day as they normally would. They turned off the lights and the heat, locked the doors, and left for the evening.
The UK Express reported that the activists had asked the staff for bowls to use as restrooms while they were glued to the floor, but it appears that the staff forgot to leave the bowls prior to leaving for the day.
It is also reported that, upon arrest, the activists complained that they were left without food or water, or a pot in which to use to relieve themselves. They also complained that it was cold in the building and that their hands were hurting from being glued to the floor.
No word yet on if the German government will consider lowering the speed limit.
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