Protesters who killed sheep, stripped, chained themselves to Auschwitz gate charged

Katarzyna Markusz

WARSAW (JTA) – Seven men and four women who slaughtered a sheep, stripped off their clothes and chained themselves to the gate of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp have been charged with desecrating a monument.

The Polish, Belorussian and German protesters gathered Friday afternoon next to the gate, which bears the sign reading “Arbeit macht frei,” German for “Work will set you free.” The peace demonstrators were immediately detained by police and face fines or other restrictions. The person who killed the sheep will face additional charges under animal protection laws, the AFP news agency reported.

“Using the symbol of Auschwitz for any kind of manifestation or happening is outrageous and unacceptable,” the museum said in a statement. “It is disrespectful to the memory of all the victims of the Nazi German Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp.”

The 11 protesters were all in their 20s. They also draped a white banner reading “love” in red over the gate.  They also reportedly used a drone to film the incident.