Berlin: A 75-year-old activist hurled red paint Tuesday at the facade of Germany's chancellery, denouncing Chancellor Friedrich Merz for what he called complicity in an illegal war waged by the US and Israel against Iran.

According to Anadolu Agency, the protester, identified as Ernst Hoermann, released a video message afterward stating, "If Merz continues to allow Americans to use the Ramstein base and fly over our territory, then he is supporting a war of aggression. And that makes him guilty. That's why his hands are stained with blood." The message was accompanied by video footage from the group Peacefully Against Genocide, showing red paint streaks and handprints on the chancellery wall. Hoermann also unfurled a banner directed at Merz that read: "No war crimes" and "Merz, you are violating international law."

The protest marks a growing domestic criticism of Germany's stance on the conflict. While the Merz government has described the war as "not our war" and voiced skepticism about its aims and strategy, it has stopped short of strong condemnation or restrictions on US operations. Unlike Spain, France, and Italy, which have refused or restricted the US from using bases or overflights for actions against Iran, the German government has repeatedly stated it will continue to honor long-standing bilateral agreements governing American forces on its soil.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took a more pronounced stance last month, labeling the US and Israeli strikes as a "violation of international law" and a "politically disastrous mistake" that undermined diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff with Iran. An independent legal assessment by the German parliament's research service similarly concluded that the strikes lack clear legitimacy under international law. It warned that Germany could face potential legal repercussions, including possible demands for war reparations from Iran, if it permits the use of its territory for military actions deemed unlawful.