Berlin rainbow memorial bench vandalised with black paint in fourth incident since August

Discovery of the fourth vandalism incident

Patrol officers in Berlin discovered new vandalism targeting the rainbow memorial bench in the Tiergarten in the early hours of Friday, 2 October 2026. Around 04:20, emergency services noticed a strong smell of fresh paint in the area and located the bench, which had been coated across a large area with black paint. The responding police officers immediately worked to clean and remove the paint from the colourful surface. The Berlin police State Security division, which handles politically motivated offences, initiated an investigation into suspected property damage injurious to the public.

Repeated attacks across September

The paint attack on 2 October represents the fourth separate instance of damage directed at the memorial within a span of several weeks. The rainbow bench was first destroyed in early September 2026, when unknown individuals used force to break off multiple wooden slats. District authorities repaired the structure and reinstalled it at its original commemorative site on 14 September 2026.

Only days after the bench was restored to the park, perpetrators returned and dismantled one of the wooden slats while inflicting damage on two additional slats. A third incident occurred towards the end of September 2026, resulting in the demolition of several slats on the seating surface and the complete snapping off of at least one slat section. In addition to the recurring attacks on the bench itself, unknown individuals also targeted the memorial tree planted beside it during September, ripping the newly planted sapling directly out of the ground.

The July CSD attack and creation of the memorial

The Mitte district administration originally erected the rainbow bench on 6 August 2026 close to the site of the attack. Local officials intended the installation to serve as a dedicated place of remembrance for the victims while standing as a public symbol for diversity, respect, and self-determined life. As part of creating the memorial space, the district also planted a new tree to replace one that sustained severe damage during the assault and had to be cut down.

The memorial commemorates the victims of the terrorist attack carried out on 25 July 2026 on the periphery of the Christopher Street Day gathering in Berlin. During that event, a 21-year-old assailant drove a delivery van into a crowd of people before colliding with a tree. The driver then exited the vehicle and attacked bystanders with a machete before fleeing on foot. The attack resulted in the death of a woman from Poland and caused injuries to 31 other individuals. Police officers located the 21-year-old perpetrator one day later, on 26 July 2026, and shot him dead.

Police oversight and security measures

Security at the site remains under review following the repeated destruction of the installation. A police spokesperson confirmed that police forces regularly inspect the rainbow bench and the surrounding park grounds during patrols. When asked about specific measures, such as installing video surveillance to prevent future vandalism, the spokesperson declined to provide details. The State Security division continues its inquiry into the suspected politically motivated property damage.