Unable to Pay for Fill-Up, German Man Torches His BMW in Protest
Pastor Dale Morgan
Unable to Pay for Fill-Up, German Man Torches His BMW in Protest*
Friday, June 27, 2008
BERLIN — A German man doused his BMW with gasoline and torched it on
Friday in protest at skyrocketing fuel costs, police said. The
unemployed 30-year-old man drove the black 1995 BMW 3-series sedan onto
the lawn outside Frankfurt's convention center grounds at about 7:30
a.m., police spokesman Karlheinz Wagner said.
He then jumped out, emptied a canister of gas over the vehicle, and set
fire to it, Wagner said.
By the time the fire department got to the scene, the car was entirely
burned out.
The Bavarian man, whose name was being withheld because he has not been
charged with a crime, told police that gas prices were so high he could
no longer afford to drive the vehicle.
As in many countries, gasoline prices have risen steadily in Germany; a
liter of regular gasoline now costs about $9.40 per gallon.
Police were investigating whether the man could be charged with
violating German environmental laws with the stunt, Wagner said.
Penalties range from fines to five years in prison.