GERMANY: Over 1,000 anti-capitalist "Blockupy" protesters start to tent-up in Frankfurt

Record ID: 863277

  • Title: GERMANY: Over 1,000 anti-capitalist "Blockupy" protesters start to tent-up in Frankfurt
  • Date: 18th May 2012
  • Summary: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (MAY 17, 2012) (REUTERS) HUNDREDS OF ANTI-CAPITALIST OCCUPY PROTESTERS GATHERED IN FRANKFURT'S HISTORIC "ROEMER" SQUARE OUTSIDE CITY HALL "BLOCKUPY" BANNER IN CROWD COUPLE SETTING UP TENT IN SQUARE, NOTE ON WOMAN'S BACK READING "FINDING NEW WAYS TOGETHER" POLICE IN RIOT GEAR STANDING BY AND WATCHING YOUTHS FORMING HUMAN CHAIN IN SQUARE, ONE WAVING A RED FLAG ROW OF POLICEMEN IN RIOT GEAR CHANTING CROWD SEATED IN SQUARE BANNERS IN CROWD READING "FREEDOM TO MEET INSTEAD OF POLICE STATE" / "FREEDOM TO MOVE INSTEAD OF POLICE ARBITRARINESS" STATUE IN SQUARE WITH MASK PROTESTER NEAR STATUE PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND TENTS SET UP ON ROEMER SQUARE POLICE VAN PARKED IN CROWD CROWD SEATED WIDE OF CROWD IN ROEMER SQUARE PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE NEARBY PAULSKIRCHE CHURCH POLICE STANDING NEARBY
  • Embargoed: 2nd June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACF391DFC79S4IVBLIBVRDUYH6
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: More than 1,000 anti-capitalist "Blockupy" demonstrators in Germany's financial capital Frankfurt went against an assembly ban on Thursday (May 17) to protest against European governments' euro debt crisis policies.
    Protesters gathered in the city's historic "Roemer" square outside city hall were setting up tents while a few hundred yards (metres) away, hundreds of people chanted "anti-capitalista" as police in riot gear were standing by.
    Several demonstrations organised by occupy movement sympathisers scheduled for Thursday were all banned by local courts after the city of Frankfurt expressed concern over possible riots. Police were expected to descend on the protesters later in the day to enforce the ban.
    German singer Konstantin Wecker was among the protesters gathered outside Paulskirche church and said he had been told not to sing.
    "I am here in support of the occupy movement because I believe that something has to finally happen, that there must be resistance in order to save democracy."
    "I currently see how necessary it is to save democracy which is apparently about to be undermined: never before have I been told I was not allowed to sing," said Wecker who has received numerous German awards and began his career in 1968.
    On Friday, occupy sympathisers are planning to move block access to the headquarters of Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt.
    On Saturday, police are bracing for up to 40,000 demonstrators to descend on the city.
    Up to 2,000 of them have a potential to turn violent, according to police who are planning to have some 5,000 officers from across Germany in place.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register