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Protesters plan to occupy life-sized Barbie Dream House

 

Tony Paterson
Tuesday 02 April 2013 19:19 BST
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Children will be offered the chance to dress up as Barbie
Children will be offered the chance to dress up as Barbie

Barbie and her boyfriend, Ken, could receive police protection after activists vowed to protest against a life-sized Barbie “Dream House” due to open as a tourist attraction in Berlin next month.

A 26,000sq-ft site at the city’s central Alexanderplatz square has been earmarked for the development of a giant pink Barbie doll’s house.

A pink billboard with a smiling Barbie mouthing “Visit Me!” has already been installed on the site as part of a publicity campaign. Children will be offered the chance to dress up as Barbie and show off their attire on a pink catwalk after paying a €22 (£19) entry fee.

The project is the brainchild of the Austrian entrepreneur Christoph Rahofer, who spent 18 months perfecting his concept after obtaining a licence from the doll’s American producers, Mattel.

But left-wing activists have taken exception to the project, calling it sexist. Michael Koschitzki, 27, a member of the youth wing of Germany’s Left Party, has launched an “Occupy Barbie Dreamhouse” Facebook page that has attracted hundreds of supporters. He said further demonstrations were planned. “Barbie Dream House is the expression of a conventional role model that isn’t OK,” Mr Koschitzki said.

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