Femen activist takes sledgehammer to bash Berlin Wall
Femen activist wields sledgehammer to bash Berlin Wall Femen.org

A female activist has staged a topless protest at the German Embassy in Kiev to highlight Ukraine's fraught relationship with the EU. Video footage shows the woman at the embassy quickly removing her coat to reveal her naked torso. Across her chest, the words "Ukraine to EU" was daubed in white paint.

She wielded a sledgehammer which was tied with blue and yellow ribbons, the national colours of Ukraine. With every blow, the political activist shouts: "Break the wall!" The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier that cut off East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989.

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According to the feminist activist group Femen, the protester's actions on 24 November were designed to coincide with an EU and Ukraine meeting in Brussels. A statement from the Femen press office stated: "The sextremist broke a legendary symbol of the division between the world and its people.

"Protesting against raising the ephemeral wall blocking Ukraine's path towards its European future, the FEMEN activist broke the legendary wall, a symbol illustrating the separation between peace and people," Femen's website said.

The National Police of Ukraine press service told Interfax-Ukraine that they were aware of the staging of a protest at the German embassy, but added the protester violated no laws.

"The police have received no complaints from the embassy," the police press service said in a Kiev Post report.

European Council President Donald Tusk announced on 26 November that citizens of Ukraine will be able to travel to most of the EU's countries without requiring a visa.

Femen is an international women's movement of topless female activists who have slogans painted on their chests. According to their website, their protesters were "physically and psychologically ready to implement the humanitarian tasks of any degree of complexity and level of provocation".

"FEMEN is the special force of feminism, its spearhead militant unit, modern incarnation of fearless and free Amazons."

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