Anti-NSA Light Art Stunt “Defaces” Berlin’s U.S. Embassy
July 15, 2013 | Julia Dawidowicz
Berlin police are investigating German guerilla light artist Oliver Bienkowski for projecting an image of internet activist and/or hustler Kim Dotcom and the phrase “United Stasi of America” onto the U.S. Embassy last Sunday night. According to Bienkowski, the stunt was meant as a direct criticism of the NSA and their mass surveillance of the internet.
Kim Dotcom hasn’t been shy about his own involvement in the stunt. On July 8th, he tweeted: “I defaced the U.S. embassy in Berlin with a truth-projection last night. 0wned!”
The phrase projected onto the government building refers to the German Ministry for State Security (AKA Stasi), known as one of the most repressive secret police agencies in history and known for their ruthless spying and propaganda tactics. Apparently, the police didn’t take the comparison lightly: they had Mr. Bienkowski take the image down after only 30 seconds. He’s hired a lawyer.
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