Volkswagen's annual shareholder meeting was briefly disrupted Wednesday by protests over the company's factory in China's Xinjiang province, with a shouting, topless activist interrupting the speech by CEO Oliver Blume before she was hustled away by security personnel.
Additionally a cake-like object was thrown during a speech by board chairman Hans-Dieter Poetsch, apparently in the direction of board member Wolfgang Porsche, who represents his family's shareholding in the company, the dpa agency reported.
Photos showed a white, gooey substance resembling pastry stuck to the front of the podium behind which Porsche was sitting.
Volkswagen has said that it has found no evidence of human rights violations at its plant in China's western Xinjiang region. The Chinese government has been accused of human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur population in the region, including forced labor in detention camps. The U.S. State Department has described China's actions in the region as genocide.
Police also stopped an attempt by climate protesters to glue themselves to the ground on the square outside the meeting.
The shareholder meeting in Berlin resumed after a brief intermission.
Ryan Serhant, Founder and CEO of SERHANT, discusses the current Real Estate Market, the launch of S.MPLE by SERHANT, Season 2 of Owning Manhattan and more.
Vulture contributor Fran Hoepfner talks the Wicked film's marketing campaign, why 'culture jacking' works so well and how it all paid off for the hit musical.
Brigit Zimmerman, Chief Commercial Officer at Priceline breaks down what travelers can expect this holiday season, predictions for 2025 and best ways to save.
Simon Shuster, Senior Correspondent at TIME, discusses his recent article, how the friendship between Musk and Trump may affect US spending, “DOGE” and more.
Christa Pitts, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of The Lumistella Company shares the origins of Elf on the Shelf Plus Extraordinary Noorah's Macy's Day Parade debut!
