Protest environment disrupts Weidel interview: ARD announces consequences!

Protest environment disrupts Weidel interview: ARD announces consequences!

There was an unusual picture in the government district on the Spree: AfD leader Alice Weidel took part in the ARD “summer interview” at the weekend, while a protest action was taking place in the background that reduced the acoustic conditions to a minimum. The reporting highlights how a group of activists... Center for Political Beauty caused a loud distraction with their “Adenauer SRP+” loudspeaker bus.

Weidel had to lean forward during the interview with moderator Markus Preiß in order to hear the questions, as the annoying noises of whistles, horns and loud music were unmistakable. Preiß pointed out in the livestream that the acoustic conditions were anything but ideal. The ARD has already announced consequences and clearly regrets the disruptions, as a spokeswoman for the capital studio emphasized. She spoke of an internal evaluation of the events that led to such acoustic difficulties.

Creative protest and its consequences

The protest was not known until the start of the broadcast and was only ended at the last moment by the Berlin police. The event, which included 25 participants, took place without prior registration, which resulted in its abrupt stop - but not without disrupting the interview for around 30 minutes. Surprisingly, there were no arrests in this incident, raising questions about the police response.

The action group behind the protest is particularly noteworthy. The Center for Political Beauty is known for his creative and provocative actions against right-wing extremism and the AfD, led by performance artist and philosopher Philipp Ruch. The group previously made a name for itself when it drew attention to itself in 2017 with an installation near Björn Höcke's residence, thereby stimulating discussions about right-wing extremism in public spaces.

Internal evaluation and possible consequences

The ARD will now have to think carefully about how it will deal with such disruptions in the future. According to the ARD live stream, there will be a thorough check to avoid such a situation. The acoustic challenges during the interview shocked not only the journalists, but also those watching on television and on the Internet. It remains to be seen whether the Center for Political Beauty will continue to rely on this type of protest or whether we will see calmer conditions in future interviews.

Yesterday's situation shows that public discourse in Germany is characterized by emotions and passionate commitment. Even if not everyone may support the methods, the impression remains that activism is still very popular and will certainly cause one or two surprises in the future.