In the western German town of Arnsberg, individuals painted over a rainbow-colored public staircase using Germany’s national colors, prompting outrage from local Green Party politicians and a police complaint from city authorities.
The incident took place at the Neheim bus station, where a staircase previously painted in rainbow colors by students of the Laurentianum Gymnasium as part of a diversity and tolerance project was repainted overnight in black, red, and gold.
Local Green Party council leader Verena Verspohl condemned the action, calling it a political statement directed against minorities. In a social media video, she said: “Spraying a rainbow staircase in black, red, and gold is not a political statement. That is an extreme right-wing statement. It can’t be misinterpreted. This means that it is against diversity, against queer people, against peace, freedom, and a colorful society, and in favor of nationalism.”
🇩🇪🌈 Someone painted over a rainbow staircase with the German national flag in the town of Arnsberg, and the local Green Party cried about it…
"This is an extreme right-wing statement. This means you are against diversity, peace, and freedom." pic.twitter.com/0IbfVOKd8C
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 3, 2026Verspohl added that displaying national symbols in private spaces was acceptable, but objected to their use in public areas in this context. “Paint yourselves in national colors at home, hang the flag in your garden, do what you want. But this is the public space. That doesn’t work at all. Incidentally, it’s a pupil’s work, a pupil’s star work, which is being trampled on here.”
Arnsberg Mayor Ralf Paul Bittner of the Social Democratic Party confirmed the city had filed a police report, stating the repainting constituted damage to public property. He stressed the issue was not about the symbols themselves but unauthorized alteration.
“It is irrelevant what motifs are used to paint or spray walls, streets, or buildings,” Bittner said, adding that Germany’s national colors stand “for freedom, the rule of law, and human dignity,” but should not be used to pit values against each other.
Council workers quickly began restoring the staircase using high-pressure washers, WDR reported.
The staircase project itself had been politically approved before being created, with the Neheim district council backing the student initiative promoting openness and tolerance. However, the steps have repeatedly been targeted since their installation, including an earlier incident in which the colors were defaced with black paint shortly after completion.
Police have not yet identified those responsible for repainting the steps.
