http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/04/news/protest.php
Violence flares anew at protests before G-8 summit Reuters, The Associated PressPublished: June 4, 2007 ROSTOCK, Germany: Protesters clashed anew with security forces Monday ahead of the Group of 8 summit meeting this week, and some pelted officers with stones when a march was briefly halted, the police said. About 8,500 demonstrators opposed to the G-8 marched through central Rostock, the nearest city to the summit venue in Heiligendamm. The authorities stopped the marchers because of the presence of about 2,000 protesters in black hoods and face masks who were deemed potentially violent, said a police spokesman, Lyder Behrens. Some protesters responded by throwing stones, Behrens said. But the situation was swiftly brought under control and the march continued, the police said. Earlier Monday, a demonstration of about 800 people demanding "global freedom of movement and equal rights for all," including refugees and asylum seekers, turned violent, with some protesters throwing bottles at officers, the police said. A total of 49 people were arrested Monday, the police said. Rostock was the scene Saturday of the biggest protest so far against the G-8 event. The meeting will be held Wednesday through Friday at the coastal resort of Heiligendamm, about 25 kilometers, or 15 miles, from Rostock. More than 400 officers were hurt Saturday by protesters throwing rocks and bottles, including 30 police officers who were hospitalized with broken bones and cuts, the authorities said. Organizers said 520 demonstrators had been hurt, 20 seriously. Germany is determined to avoid a repeat of the violence that has marred previous G-8 summit meetings, notably in Genoa in 2001, where one protester was killed. It has reinforced its border controls before the start of the summit meeting. Eighty-five people have been refused entry to Germany, the government said. Activists have complained that security surrounding the gathering is excessive. On Monday, an administrative court ruled that only 50 protesters would be allowed to hold a rally late Tuesday directly outside the Rostock airport, where President George W. Bush and other world leaders are to arrive. Activists had sought permission for a 1,500-person demonstration at the airport. The court rejected this, citing security concerns. The approved protest will be restricted to a designated shoulder of a road across from the airport's entrance. A bigger group will be allowed to protest at a nearby parking lot. The Federal Constitutional Court of Germany said Monday that an alliance of activist groups had challenged a lower court's ban on protests outside of Heiligendamm. The authorities had announced that, starting Wednesday, a demonstration ban would be expanded to about 5½ kilometers beyond a 12-kilometer fence erected around Heiligendamm. It was not clear when the court would rule on the case. Thousands of campaigners are staying in tent camps close to Rostock in a weeklong program of demonstrations. Organizers and politicians condemned the violence that has overshadowed the protests. "Saturday was a disaster," said Mani Stenner, a spokesman for the organizing committee. "We are horrified over what has happened. We are still working together but we are very nervous about the rest of the week." Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday deplored the "terrible, dreadful pictures" of violent protesters clashing with the police. "Violence is no way to solve things and shows that the police methods are necessary." Shopkeepers in Rostock have barricaded their storefronts. "We are leaving the boards up until the demos are over," said Christian Schuldt, a salesman at a tableware store. "This wood is cheaper than having a new shop window put in." Hundreds of Czechs protested peacefully Monday against U.S. plans for a missile-defense shield, rallying near Prague's historic castle hours before President George W. Bush was due to arrive in the capital, Reuters reported from Prague. Protesters ranging from far leftists to feminist groups carried banners rejecting plans for a radar base near Prague as part of the shield, which Washington says will protect the United States and its allies against missiles that could be fired from countries like Iran or North Korea. Dozens of riot police officers stood nearby but stayed away from the protest, which showed no signs of violence. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
