Heavy clashes at ECB opening Frankfurt

[Sasha]

apparently the whole city grinded to a halt under a cloud of burning tires and cop cars and teargas.

bring on the riot porn;

Germany riot targets new ECB headquarters in Frankfurt

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Fires were lit as protesters gathered for the Frankfurt rally, as Kasia Madera reports


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Dozens of people have been hurt and some 350 people arrested as anti-austerity demonstrators clashed with police in the German city of Frankfurt.
Police cars were set alight and stones were thrown in a protest against the opening of a new base for the European Central Bank (ECB).
Violence broke out close to the city's Alte Oper concert hall hours before the ECB building's official opening.
Thousands of "Blockupy" activists were due to take part in a rally.
Organisers were bringing a left-wing alliance of protesters from across Germany and the rest of Europe to voice their anger at the ECB's role in austerity measures in EU member states, most recently Greece.
The bank, in charge of managing the euro, is also responsible for framing eurozone policy and, along with the IMF and European Commission, has set conditions for bailouts in Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus.
Rubbish bins were set alight some distance from the new ECB building (background)
Among the first targets for protesters were police cars
Police set up a cordon of barbed wire outside the bank's new 185m (600ft) double-tower skyscraper, next to the River Main.
But hopes of a peaceful rally were dashed as clashes began early on Wednesday.
Tyres and rubbish bins were set alight and police responded with water cannon as firefighters complained they were unable to get to the fires to put them out. One fire engine appeared to have had its windscreen broken.
Activists said many protesters had been hurt by police batons, water cannon and by pepper spray.
Police said as many as 80 of their officers had been affected by pepper spray or an acidic liquid. Eight suffered injuries from stone-throwing protesters.
Police spokeswoman Claudia Rogalski spoke of an "aggressive atmosphere" and the Frankfurt force tweeted images of a police van being attacked. They were braced for further violence as increasing numbers of activists arrived for the rally.
Blockupy accused police of using kettling tactics to cordon off hundreds of protesters and appealed for supporters to press for their release.

What is Blockupy?

• Europe-wide alliance of left-wing parties, unions and movements
• Vehemently against austerity polices of European Commission, ECB and IMF
• First Frankfurt protest attracted thousands in 2012
• Activists from Greece's radical left governing party Syriza and Spain's anti-corruption Podemos are joining the rally
• Also includes Germany's Die Linke and Occupy Frankfurt
• Rallying call: "They want capitalism without democracy, we want democracy without capitalism"

As the number of protesters grew in the streets away from the new ECB building, the bank's president, Mario Draghi, gave a speech marking its inauguration.
The new headquarters, which had been due to open years earlier, cost an estimated €1.3bn (£930m; $1.4bn) to build and is the new home for thousands of central bankers.
Blockupy activists said on their website that there was nothing to celebrate about the politics of austerity and increasing poverty.
A police tweet reads: New attacks against the police in #Frankfurt
Thousands of activists were gathering in Frankfurt for the rally
Inside the building, ECB President Mario Draghi gave a speech marking its inauguration

source; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31938592

[Sasha]

[Sasha]

german live ticker; http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/articl...estnahmen.html

[Sasha]

[DOOM]

I didn't expect it to turn out this way. Nice
Though I really had to cringe at this guy burning money.

[Sasha]

[John Nada]

These pictures bring tears of joy to my eyes. It's so beautiful.

[Sasha]

Chaotic scenes in Frankfurt, police cars burnt en masse (DRAMATIC IMAGES)

Published time: March 18, 2015 16:44
Edited time: March 19, 2015 06:45 Get short URL

Policemen detain a wounded anti-capitalist 'Blockupy' protester near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Michael Dalder)

6.9K77630



Tags
Austerity, Germany, Protest, Violence

Thousands of protesters have been clashing with riot police in Frankfurt ahead of a ceremony on Wednesday that opened the new headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB). The morning rally was marred by torched vehicles burning in the blocked streets.
1. The German city of Frankfurt has become home to the twin-towered €1.3-billion ($1.4 billion) ECB headquarters The complex has become a source of anger for many Europeans in times of recession.


A policeman stops a 'Blockupy' anti-capitalist protester near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach)

2. Riot police had to build barricades to block “aggressive” crowds of anti-capitalist protesters and disperse them with water cannons. According to police, nearly 90 police officers were injured by stones and unidentified liquids.


Fireworkers extinguish police vehicles set of fire by anti-capitalist 'Blockupy' protesters near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Ralph Orlowski)

3. Dozens of protesters say they were injured by pepper spray, used by police. At least 350 people were detained, according to police, and others taken into custody for questioning.


A policeman holds a flare during a protest of members of 'Blockupy' anti-capitalist movement near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Ralph Orlowski)

4. A breakaway group of demonstrators turned to torching cars, which later smoked amidst burning stacks of tires and rubbish bins that blocked the streets of the German financial capital.


A 'Blockupy' anti-capitalist protester walks near a burning barricade near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach)

5. The protest against austerity was organized by the Blockupy group, named after the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement, which estimated the number of participants at about 10,000 people, who had flocked to Frankfurt from all over Europe.


Policemen detain members of 'Blockupy' anti-capitalist movement near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Michael Dalder)

6. Activists are irritated by what they describe as "capitalist business as usual" – strict austerity measures imposed on EU countries, hit by the financial crisis. They intend to blockade the ECB building, which they regard as a symbol of capitalism.


A policeman stops a 'Blockupy' anti-capitalist protester near the European Central Bank (ECB) building before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Michael Dalder)

7. The European Central Bank is responsible for eurozone policy, it also manages the euro, so even supporters of the new Greek government, led by the left-wing Syriza party, have traveled to Germany to take part in the demonstration.


Four German police cars set on fire by anti-capitalist protesters burn near the European Central Bank (ECB) building hours before the official opening of its new headquarters in Frankfurt March 18, 2015. (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach)

source; http://rt.com/news/241897-frankfurt-...t-police-bank/

[Mr. Piccolo]

Interesting. This certainly defies the stereotype that the Germans are quiet, docile workers. It is also good to see some pan-European unity on the anti-austerity issue instead of the usual propaganda that seeks to pit Germans against Greeks and other Southern Europeans.

[John Lennin]

Made my day:

"Protesters captured a police car"

[cyu]

Capture the armory, capture the TV stations, and the revolution is over.

[cyu]

http://www.reddit.com/r/Anarchism/co...ockupy_photos/