The 2026 Axel Springer Award was presented to Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir, at a ceremony held in Berlin. Hundreds of people protested the award in front of the Axel Springer building in the capital. Demonstrators criticized Thiel's investments in weapons and AI-powered surveillance software.

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Thiel, you can't pass here." Palestinian flags and various placards were carried during the demonstration. The placards read: "Axel Springer Group honors a man who develops software for drone attacks targeting children," "They can never kill us all," "Thiel, sing me the song of death," and "No to technology for Apartheid."

Demonstrators also used slogans such as "Zionists are fascists, child killers, and terrorists," "Boycott Israel," "Freedom for Palestine," and "German police protect Zionists." Speeches made during the protest claimed that Thiel's investments supported Israel's genocide in Palestine.

In a statement by Axel Springer, it was noted that Thiel is one of the most influential entrepreneurs and investors of the digital age. The statement read: "As co-founder of Palantir, he built one of today's most valuable companies and one of the most important for the resilience of democracies."