Paint attack on home of Berlin Culture Senator Joe Chialo

Berlin – A paint attack has been carried out on the home of Berlin’s Senator for Culture Joe Chialo (54, CDU).

The state security service responsible for politically motivated crimes has taken over the investigation into property damage, the police announced. The Tagesspiegel newspaper had previously reported.

The paint, which had been spread over a large area of ​​a Chialos house in Pankow, was discovered in the morning. In addition, two inscriptions were left behind, one of which had a reference to the Gaza war: “Genocide Joe Chialo”.

Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner (52, CDU) reacted with shock: “The attack on Joe Chialo’s home crosses every line. It shows that the perpetrators disqualify themselves from any discussion,” Wegner told the online platform X. Chialo himself did not initially comment.

Berlin crime thriller
Aggro pensioner drives at woman to make her make room

The Green Party’s parliamentary group leader in the House of Representatives, Bettina Jarasch (55), also condemned the paint attack: “We condemn the attacks, defamation and attempts at intimidation against Senator Chialo. The limits of democratic debate are being exceeded here, that is unacceptable, without any ifs and buts.”

Only a few days ago, Chialo was harassed and insulted by pro-Palestinian activists at an event. He eventually left the premises under police protection. The CDU politician was representing the Senate at the reopening of the Center for Art and Urbanism in Berlin-Moabit on September 12th and was supposed to give the opening speech.

When he began, around 40 people gathered at the lectern in front of the entrance to the building. According to police, most of them wore so-called Palestinian scarves, chanted forbidden slogans and insulted the senator.

Eventually, the crowd surrounded Chialo. According to police, pyrotechnics were also set off and a microphone stand that had been on the steps to the lectern was thrown in the direction of the senator. This hit his wife, who was standing directly in front of the senator.

Berlin crime thriller
Knife attacks in Berlin: More and more children are stabbing

At the end of last year, Chialo received harsh criticism from the cultural scene for a so-called anti-Semitism clause. The clause was intended to oblige recipients of public funding to, among other things, declare their opposition to anti-Semitism. Critics saw artistic freedom as being at risk. Chialo’s proposal has since been taken off the table.

The Berlin Senate is looking for another solution. The CDU politician was recently criticized because his department had stopped funding for a cultural center following accusations of anti-Semitism.