Berlin Protest: Gandalf Costume Contest Challenges Axel Springer Award for Peter Thiel

• A protest rally is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, outside the Axel Springer publishing house in Berlin.
• Activists are organizing a queer Gandalf costume contest under the banner "Thiel shall not pass."
• The demonstration objects to the Axel Springer Award being given to tech billionaire Peter Thiel.

Grounds for Protest

• Opponents argue that honoring Thiel with a "democratic resilience" award is contradictory, citing his past statements questioning the compatibility of freedom and democracy.
• Thiel is a key figure in the surveillance firm Palantir and has invested in defense companies like Covenant through his Founders Fund.
• The Gandalf theme is a direct critique of Thiel’s practice of naming his companies after entities from J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, with protesters positioning themselves as the opposition to his alleged "Sauron-like" influence.

Ties Between Springer and Thiel

• Critics point to the close business and personal ties between Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner and Peter Thiel.
• Reports indicate financial overlaps, including investments in the combat drone startup Stark Defence by both Thiel and Döpfner-linked entities.
• The Axel Springer Award has previously been given to several major tech figures, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, reflecting the publisher's push for alignment with U.S. tech oligarchs.