[D66] 'Germany is not an open society'

[A.OUT]

Berlin
The Local
news at thelocal.de	
@thelocalgermany
9 August 2019
15:43 CEST+02:00
ai weiwei

'Germany is not an open society': Chinese artist Ai Weiwei on leaving Berlin

Ai Weiwei, the Chinese activist and artist, has lived in self-imposed
exile in Berlin since 2015. But he plans to leave Germany because he
believes it is too intolerant.

In an interview with the German daily Welt published Friday, Ai said:
“Germany is not an open society. It is a society that wants to be open,
but above all it protects itself. German culture is so strong that it
doesn't really accept other ideas and arguments.”

Ai, 61, added that there is “hardly any room for open debate”.

The artist, who is an outspoken critic of China's government, moved to
Berlin in July 2015 after spending four years under house arrest in China.