A few weeks ago Mama and Papa had taken me to the East Side Gallery. This is the longest remaining stretch of the original Berlin Wall - about 1.3 kilometres long. We had checked it out and I liked it as a place to reflect on what was, and what now is. Plus there is lots of interesting murals all along the wall so that's cool too. Apparently it is the second most popular tourist attraction in Berlin, after the Brandenburg Gate.
This Friday just gone Papa told me that developers had received permission to remove a stretch of this wall. Bloody hell, there are already a couple of gaps in the wall, why do they need to make another one. Papa said its for a couple of reasons, one to give access to and re-build a bridge over the river that was destroyed in World War II and the other reason is that a luxury apartment block is also going there.
I though this was all bullshit so I said 'Papa, take me down there now please!'. So on Friday we went and there were only a couple of protesters and quite a few spectators.
Only a small section of the wall was taken out thanks to the protesters making too much disruption for the workers to continue. I went up to have a closer look and realised that for today our work was done so we left. Puppy power!
Yesterday Papa said 'Barney, there is going to be a big protest down at the wall on Sunday, do you think we should go?'. Fuck yea I said, lets send a message to those bastards that they can't destroy this cultural monument.
The irony isn't lost on me that 20 plus years ago people were protesting to pull the wall down and today we want to protest to keep it up.
The protest was at 2pm, so we left the house to get down there. We were running a bit late so we caught the bus to get there a bit quicker.
I took a moment away from the demonstration to stand between the wall, at the crux of the former east and west division. This is what we are protesting about, preserving the ability to appreciate the wall and its oppression in situ!
I had saved the wall for another day. Not on my watch dickheads.
This Friday just gone Papa told me that developers had received permission to remove a stretch of this wall. Bloody hell, there are already a couple of gaps in the wall, why do they need to make another one. Papa said its for a couple of reasons, one to give access to and re-build a bridge over the river that was destroyed in World War II and the other reason is that a luxury apartment block is also going there.
I though this was all bullshit so I said 'Papa, take me down there now please!'. So on Friday we went and there were only a couple of protesters and quite a few spectators.
Only a small section of the wall was taken out thanks to the protesters making too much disruption for the workers to continue. I went up to have a closer look and realised that for today our work was done so we left. Puppy power!
Yesterday Papa said 'Barney, there is going to be a big protest down at the wall on Sunday, do you think we should go?'. Fuck yea I said, lets send a message to those bastards that they can't destroy this cultural monument.
The irony isn't lost on me that 20 plus years ago people were protesting to pull the wall down and today we want to protest to keep it up.
The protest was at 2pm, so we left the house to get down there. We were running a bit late so we caught the bus to get there a bit quicker.
Once down at the wall, the fuzz was out in force and the roads were blocked.
We then joined the crowd of thousands and I made my way to the section in question. Phew, the bastards haven't managed to get any more of it out...yet.
I stood there guarding it for a bit but then realised there was no need. No way they would be able to get to it today. That made me feel happy as I sat smugly next to the police officers that were guarding the section.
The main demonstration was in front of the damaged bit of the wall. Thousand of people as I said. We joined the crowd.
There was a bit of a stage and someone shouting about the wall (Die Berliner Mauer) and that it should be preserved. I asked Papa to lift me up and shouted back 'Yea, keep the wall, Piss off you vandals!'. People around me cheered.
I like this feeling of activism, people don't mind me swearing here as everyone is hopped up on enthusiasm. Although when I called some guy an asshole for standing on my foot later on they didn't seem very pleased.
I hung around for a bit looking at the crowd and revelling in the power of the people and proud that my doggy voice also had a say.
By now I had my chance to be heard. We could go now.
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