Thousands rally against ECB in Frankfurt

Demonstration leader Ulrich Wilke has officially announced the end of the mainly peaceful march at Frankfurt’s Opernplatz (Opera Square).

Fin de la mani #18nulldrei#18M#blockupy#blockupyfrankfurtpic.twitter.com/H1i118XepI

— 15M Berlin (@acampadaberlin) March 18, 2015

Frankfurt police have reported the lobbing of stones at police officers and red smoke filling the city’s square.

.@Polizei_Ffm Red smoke at the #Opernplatz in #Frankfurt / #blockupy#18M#18null3#EZBpic.twitter.com/IlRQ5TIWjw

— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015

According to the police, the number of protesters has risen to 17,000 people. Watch the latest updates in Peter Oliver’s RT report.

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#Frankfurt#18M#Blockupy demonstration moving now @FibsFreitag@YourAnonGlobalpic.twitter.com/2ktqxwkHjS

— Thomas Occupy (@ThomasOccupy) March 18, 2015

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No appreciation of irony. Anti capitalism demonstrators say playing "Monopoly". #Frankfurt#blockupyfrankfurtpic.twitter.com/B3iBa02AP9

— Peter Oliver (@PeterGOliver_RT) March 18, 2015

Blockupy protesters have been supported by Germany's Green party, which also condemned this morning’s violence. "Protest against the policy of austerity in Europe is more than justified," party finance spokesman and MP Gerhard Schick wrote in a statement. "The crisis policies until now have failed... the ECB should take this criticism to heart," he added.

Schick also pointed out that a massive protest would be better in front of the chancellor's Berlin office, as “European governments are responsible for the forming and the stabilization of the European economy - and they've failed.”

According to figures just released by Frankfurt police, there are around 10,000 people at the Römer city hall, waiting for Naomi Klein, a left-wing activist and writer to give a speech. Fourteen police officers were injured, and 80 returned to their duties after being exposed to a homemade gas concocted by protesters.

Knapp 10.000 Menschen am #Römer in #Frankfurt besonders beeindruckend aus der Luft #18M#18nulldrei#blockupypic.twitter.com/7BBl8WzTxq

— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015

Out of the current 6,000 protesters, over 1,000 were foreign activists, Christoph Kleine, spokesman for the Blockupy event said. According to the organizers of the protest, at least 128 people were injured. Tear gas and pepper spray caught 107 people, and 21 others were beaten by police batons, the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper reported.

Now in #Römerberg#Blockupy in #Frankfurtpic.twitter.com/eIKyVjxwQF

— Lídia Pedro (@LidiaPedro9) March 18, 2015

According to their Twitter blog, Frankfurt firefighters have been called out 47 times since 5:50 am to extinguish burning barricades, vehicles, police patrol cars and rubbish bins. Two firefighters were injured by tear gas, but were helped by medics on the scene. The windows of a fire engine and a command vehicle were smashed.

Well.. #18M#Blockupypic.twitter.com/jqWWMNsAHW

— Tina (@TnaKng) March 18, 2015

Leader of the Libertarian Party of The Netherlands Toine Manders joins RT