Activist throws red paint at German chancellery to protest Iran war

A 75-year-old activist hurled red paint Tuesday at the facade of Germany's chancellery, denouncing Chancellor Friedrich Merz for what he called complicity in an illegal war waged by the US and Israel against Iran.

"If Merz continues to allow Americans to use the Ramstein base and fly over our territory, then he is supporting a war of aggression. And that makes him guilty. That's why his hands are stained with blood," the protester identified as Ernst Hoermann, said in a video message released afterward.

Video posted by the group Peacefully Against Genocide showed red paint streaks and handprints on the chancellery wall. The activist also unfurled a banner directed at Merz that read: "No war crimes" and "Merz, you are violating international law."

The protest was the latest sign of rising domestic criticism of Germany's stance on the war. While the Merz government has described the war as "not our war" and voiced skepticism about its aims and strategy, it has stopped short of strong condemnation or restrictions on US operations.

Unlike Spain, France and Italy, which have refused or restricted the US from using bases or overflights for operations against Iran, the German government has repeatedly said it will continue to honor long-standing bilateral agreements governing American forces on its soil.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took a sharper line last month, calling the US and Israeli strikes a "violation of international law" and a "politically disastrous mistake" that derailed diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff with Iran.

An independent legal assessment by the German parliament's research service similarly concluded that the strikes lack clear legitimacy under international law. It warned that Germany could face potential legal repercussions, including possible demands for war reparations from Iran, if it permits the use of its territory for military actions deemed unlawful.