
Wednesday, January 29
Protests outside “Economic Summit” featuring Elon Musk and German politicians
At the last minute, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) decided not to attend, but the economic summit organised by the Axel-Springer-owned newspaper Die Welt still featured key figures from German politics. Friedrich Merz (CDU), Robert Habeck (Greens), Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), and Alice Weidel (AfD) met behind closed doors with executives from companies such as Allianz, Vonovia, Siemens, and the weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall. Joining via video stream were prominent international figures, including Elon Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The event, an annual fixture for Die Welt, was described on the newspaper’s website as an opportunity to ask Elon Musk “not just why he supports the AfD, but also how he deals with excessive bureaucracy” and to question Netanyahu “not just about what happens after a ceasefire but also how Israel fosters such an unequivocal culture of innovation.”
Given this lineup, it was no surprise that the summit drew protests. On Monday night, activists from groups including Stop Tesla, Extinction Rebellion, and Last Generation gathered to oppose the exclusive event, calling on participants to “defend ourselves against the influence of the media, wealth, and fascism.”
It did not take long for the atmosphere at Monday’s protest to become, with the police forcibly preventing the formation of a sit-in, and scuffles breaking out between police and demonstrators. At least one person was arrested.