Protest in Düsseldorf and Cologne: Galleries resist right-wing access to culture

A total of 57 galleries from Düsseldorf and Cologne have signed an appeal “against the appropriation of art and culture” by the AfD. The merchants protest against an event of the party in the municipal Palais Wittgenstein in Düsseldorf on Monday under the title “Cultural policy from the right!”, which was originally announced at the Heinrich Heine Institute, but can not take place there for organizational reasons. On its website, the AfD “creates references to important personalities in Düsseldorf’s cultural history – including Heinrich Heine and Joseph Beuys”, according to the galleries, which oppose the attempt “to co-opt the history and cultural heritage of our city for a party political agenda”. At the request of the F.A.Z., the City of Düsseldorf informs that due to the current regulations of use of the Palais used as a cultural center, it has no means of excluding parties and political groups from the offer of rental.