Police pepper sprays protest in Germany as activists storm new EU central bank HQ (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

German police used pepper spray and clashed with anti-EU protesters, who stormed and vandalized the new European Central Bank building, which is under construction now in central Frankfurt.

Calling themselves Blockupy, thousands of activists gathered in the city center on Saturday and marched to the goal of their protest, the new ECB office, which is to be inaugurated next March.

The cost of the new office is almost 1.3 billion euros and this fact has caused a lot of criticism while the policy of austerity is applied all over Europe.

“While our colleagues, friends and comrades in Southern Europe continue to rebel against the depletion and impoverishment policies of the Troika, the ECB moves into its new palace,” Blockupy website says. “Blockupy moves on to the road. We will make our own move to the new building and give back to the ECB the garbage – in and with many moving boxes – that should have been thrown into the dustbin of history: racist and sexist division, impoverishment, privatization of public funds and goods and wars to secure resources.”

#Blockupy demo inaugurates the new ECB building with a colorful "welcome" #Frankfurt#Germanypic.twitter.com/ufDrT2v7Np

— 15MBcn_int (@15MBcn_int) 22 ноября 2014

As the protesters reached the ECB building, about 80 activists climbed over the fence and began throwing stones and bags with paint into the building.

READ MORE: Thousands across Europe rally against EU policies (VIDEOS)

Police responded with paper spray as they tried to disperse the crowd. Local law enforcement reported about nine injured police officers, while mass media reported one policeman wounded.

The protest was a part of "Blockupy Festival „#talk #dance #act – Come down from the balcony!” held in Frankfurt from November, 20th to 24th. The activists from European countries gathered to “talk about common issues, places and steps of our protests”, Blockupy website says.

Blockupy is a network of European leftist organizations protesting against European economic reforms.

#Blockupy-Aktivisten klettern auf #EZB-Gelände #Frankfurthttp://t.co/fZMZQod0Smpic.twitter.com/fWHpKKR2ut

— ☭rapidnewstweets☠ (@juergen_p) 22 ноября 2014

EZB in Frankfurt - Polizei gerät mit Blockupy-Aktivisten aneinander (n24.de) http://t.co/WPXz1UnHCjpic.twitter.com/wG6wP5xxV1

— 1001portails Deutsch (@1001ptsDE) 22 ноября 2014

#Blockupy demonstration #Frankfurtpic.twitter.com/fRAKKB594k

— Κινηματικά Νέα (@movement_news) 22 ноября 2014