BERLIN POLICE PREVENT ART
Bloomberg reports that Berlin police prevented the Swiss artist Enrico Centonze from planting 500 silver-gold flags on
the grass in front of the Reichstag to represent the government's 500 billion-euro ($670 billion) rescue package for
banks. A spokeswoman for the Berlin police said the action was interrupted at 1:50 p.m. because it violated laws on
public assembly. Centonze said his request for a permit had not so far been answered. He came up with his idea less
than a week ago. 'This was an unregistered demonstration in the form of an art action,' said Nora Hegazi, a
spokeswoman for the police. 'You need a special permit for this area.' The flags, made of metallic rescue blankets, are 'a
visual interpretation of the rescue package,' Centonze explained, speaking to journalists as he hammered poles into the
ground. 'Art should respond quickly to topical events,' Centonze said. The 1,500 euros for the project came from his own
pocket. Each flag represented 1 billion euros, he said.