A Blockupy rally at the newly opened luxury headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt has turned violent with protesters throwing stones and burning cars - and police responding with tear gas and water cannons.
18 March 2015
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
Demonstrators have gathered in front of Frankfurt City Hall (Römer).
Now in #Römerberg#Blockupy in #Frankfurtpic.twitter.com/eIKyVjxwQF
— Lídia Pedro (@LidiaPedro9) March 18, 2015
Frankfurt Police have released a video showing protesters pelting a police station with stones and setting cars on fire.
Hier ein Video, das die Angriffe auf das 1.Polizeirevier #Frankfurt zeigt und selbsterklärend ist #18M#18nulldreipic.twitter.com/cplhoqPFW4
— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015
About 200 of the 350 arrested during the protest at the ECB headquarters came from Italy, according to Frankfurt police.
"The police will continue to address the behavior of demonstrators appropriately, and if we see it necessary; we will continue to employ anything depending on the development of the situation," a press officer told Sputnik news agency.
Watch police charge protesters outside ECB hq FULL VIDEO: http://t.co/uY4URRBt3t#Frankfurt#18M#Blockupyhttps://t.co/SecSz3JeWz
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) March 18, 2015
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas has commented on the clashes, saying that “everyone has the right to criticize institutions like the ECB. But pure rioting goes beyond all limits in the battle for political opinion,” AP reported.
The inauguration ceremony started as planned. ECB President Mario Draghi thanked guests ``for being here despite the difficult situation outside,'' AP reported.
The new headquarters for the euro currency union's central bank is, according to Draghi, “a symbol of what Europe can achieve together.''
LIVE: #EZB-Präsident Mario #Draghi beginnt seine #Redehttp://t.co/T3uDdF82PKpic.twitter.com/qYVR6l0hXD
— RT Deutsch (@RT_Deutsch) March 18, 2015
Activists from all over Europe have come to Frankfurt to join the anti-ECB rally. RT’s Peter Oliver spoke to one of the organizers, who have come from Spain, Sol Trumbo Vila of Transnational Institute.
“This is an expression of anger at the way European policies are affecting European citizens,” Vila said. “Today the authorities are having a party to celebrate the institutionalization of neoliberal policies on the European continent. And we are here to say there’s no consensus in the way the European policies are being imposed. This is affecting all countries.”
Polizei trägt Pflastersteine weg #Blockupy@RT_Deutschpic.twitter.com/riVrQFtmEa
— Lea Frings (@LeaFrings) March 18, 2015
Ten thousand people are expected to take part in the protest, which will culminate in a march through the city, according to police.
Überall Reste von Barrikaden - die Demonstranten bringen ihre Forderungen zum Ausdruck. @RT_Deutsch#Blockupypic.twitter.com/NlUu1ejEH2
— Lea Frings (@LeaFrings) March 18, 2015
“We have registered over 1,100 offenses… Up to 70 police have been injured,” police told RIA.
Protesters have in turn accused police of escalating tensions.
#Frankfurt#18M #Blockupy - police escalate @occupybrussels@OccupyFR@OccupyTorontopic.twitter.com/Ye0pRkpuTH
— Thomas Occupy (@ThomasOccupy) March 18, 2015
The official ceremony marking the opening of the new ECB headquarters is about to start, despite Blockupy attempts to thwart it.
Opening of new #ECB building - Official Ceremony FOLLOW LIVE: http://t.co/OE0bc56X9qpic.twitter.com/j3tASWu7BS
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) March 18, 2015
The use of tear gas by police has been confirmed by RT’s Peter Oliver reporting from the scene.
One of the tear gas canisters fired at demonstrators today in #Frankfurt#blockupyfrankfurtpic.twitter.com/NYhpFZr7gb
— Peter Oliver (@PeterGOliver_RT) March 18, 2015
Some 350 people have been detained at the Blockupy protest in Frankfurt on the day the European Central Bank headquarters open in the city, local police said on Twitter.
We detained about 350 persons who were committing crimes and rioted in #Frankfurt#EZB#18M#18nulldrei#Blockupy
— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015
A total of some 10,000 policemen are ensuring security in the city. Representatives of Blockupy described the current security measures as unprecedented, and accused the police of creating an atmosphere of fear.
Protest an der #EZB in #Frankfurt : Hier ist die Situation entspannt und gewaltfrei / #Blockupy#18M#18nulldreipic.twitter.com/uJBfP3of6V
— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015
Banks and supermarkets in the area have announced that they will close early for the day, and the neighborhood around to the ECB headquarters is only open to local residents and office employees.
Cars and trash cans have been burning in the center of Frankfurt.
Two officers were injured in clashes have been injured, after protesters threw stones at security forces in front of the Opera House, according to police..
Police cars on fire. Starting early in #Frankfurtpic.twitter.com/n8Ci9vn8Q5
— Peter Oliver (@PeterGOliver_RT) March 18, 2015