#362: Two-day BVG strike, Berlinale outrage, develop Tempelhof?
Berlin kids vote left
Dear 20 Percent,
Another year, another Berlinale. Another situation involving free speech and Israel/Palestine.
The Berlin police division responsible for political crimes is investigating Hong Kong director Jun Li for a statement he made on stage at the film festival.
Jun Li, who’s showing his film Queerpanorama at the festival, read out a statement by Iranian actor Erfan Shekarriz, who is boycotting the Berlinale.
He accused Israel of committing genocide — and repeated the slogan “from the river to the sea” — both considered antisemitic speech by many in Germany. What’s more, he said Germany and cultural institutions such as the Berlinale were complicit in “apartheid” in the Middle East.
As you can imagine, there was a good deal of heckling from the audience.
Festival director Tricia Tuttle said the incident was “regrettable”
“We informed our guests in advance which political statements are particularly sensitive and which may be punishable by law.”
The central council of Jews in Germany tweeted: “The fact that Hamas slogans are met with applause leaves us stunned. (...) We assume that such behaviour will be sanctioned accordingly.”
One can agree or disagree with what was said on stage but surely sanctions and police investigations aren’t going to help anyone. Surely, in 2025, pro-Palestinian voices have a right to be heard in a country that is, for obvious historical reasons, very suspicious of any criticism of Israel.
What do you think, dear readers?
Maurice
P.S. Episode 6 of the 20% Berlin Podcast is out! Andrew and I discuss the finances of the AfD, knife ban zones and the exit of the Blue Man Group from Berlin.
P.P.S. Thanks to today’s sponsor, German insurance experts Feather.
Two-day BVG strike Thursday-Friday
Yep, the Verdi union has called for another public transport strike. This time for 48 hours starting 3am Thursday morning. No trams or U-Bahns will be running. Some bus lines will be affected. Others won’t, because they’re run by other companies. Full info in English here. The S-Bahn, which is run by Deutsche Bahn, is not affected. Regional trains can also be helpful getting you across town. Verdi and public transport operator BVG have been in pay negotiations for five weeks but have failed to come to an agreement.
Berlin kids sway left
We keep hearing about how the AfD has managed to capture the youth vote with their clever TikTok game. Not in Berlin, apparently, at least not among the under-18s. Last week, 31,359 adolescents participated in the U18-Wahl or under-18 elections. Left-wing party, Die Linke, came out ahead, at 27.3%. Centre-left SPD and the Greens scored 18% each, the conservative CDU 9.6% — and the AfD just 8.29%.
Build on Tempelhof?
In Sunday’s TV debate, CDU candidate Friedrich Merz, when asked about the housing crisis in Germany, said Berlin just needs to build, baby, build on the huge Tempelhofer Feld, even though Berliners voted to turn the area into a park in a referendum back in 2014. Mayor Kai Wegner, also CDU, said nope, that’s not going to happen without another referendum. Wegner favours building around the edges of the old airport, though opponents fear that could eventually lead to large parts of the airfield being opened up to development.
New toilet app in town
Finding a public toilet in this city ain’t easy. EasyPZ, developed by someone called “El Vangabundo” helps you locate loos in your immediate vicinity. The app is available on Android and iPhone and just launched in Berlin and New York City. I’ve used it. It’s easy. And it works. Unfortunately, the first three toilets it found were out-of-order or filthy but El Vangabundo’s hardly to blame for that.
Events this week, curated by The Next Day Berlin
🎭 Berlin Oranienplatz
Thursday, 20.02, 8 pm. Directed by Hakan Savaş Mican. In DE with EN surtitles. Maxim Gorki Theater, Am Festungsgraben 2, 10117 Berlin. Tickets: €12-40.
Can spends his last day in Berlin before fleeing to Istanbul, revisiting places and faces from his past. A poetic homage to Berlin, mixing video imagery and live music, inspired by Döblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz.
🍝 eat! berlin market
Friday-Sunday, 28.02 - 02.03.Various time. Kalle Halle, Karl-Marx-Strasse 101, 12043 Berlin. Ticket: €39-99. Entry includes sparkling wine, an oyster, and water.
A must for food lovers—eat! berlin market brings top chefs, butter burgers, dim sum, carbonara, and fine wines under one roof.
🪴Großer Pflanzenverkauf Berlin
Fri-Sat, 21-22.02, 10 am - 7 pm; 23.02, Sun, 11 am - 4 pm. Kühlhaus Berlin, Luckenwalder Straße 3 10963 Berlin. Free entry.
If you're looking to bring more green into your home, this plant market is always a great pick. Wait for a selection of plants at affordable prices—perfect for adding life to your space.
🪩 Toy Tonics presents ITALOMANIA
Friday, 21.02, 11 pm - 8 am. OXI, Wiesenweg 1-4, 10365 Berlin. Tickets: €18.10-€22.60.
One of my favorite parties in town with one of my favorite DJs in Berlin, 🎧 Daniel Wang—Toy Tonics promises a full night of disco and Italo grooves. Delfonic and Residentes Balearicos set the vibe, while Camila Ramirez b2b Andrea Dama keep things going till morning.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
💬 Economy minister Robert Habeck calls for Euro alternative to Musk’s X
🚆 Late trains, old bridge, no signal: Germany’s infrastructure woes
🏗️ Residential building permits at 15-year low
🌞 Germany hits 100 GW solar power milestone
Factoid
Three years after the beginning of the Ukraine war and the ensuing energy crisis, 57% of 250 Berliners surveyed for utility Vatenfall said that they still try to save energy, while 22% said that they no longer do so. 21% said that the energy crisis had had no impact on their behaviour. The same survey of 1,000 people across Germany revealed almost identical results.
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EasyPZ is not new, I use it since 2021, it's an amazing app that I always recommend to my friends!
Does anybody know what's behind the low rate of construction permits in Berlin? Given the lawsuit by investor Christian Gérôme mentioned on the last post, I feel like the issue is not at all that Tempelhof remains a park.