- Title: Germany expects 8,000 violent protesters at G20 summit in Hamburg
- Date: 4th July 2017
- Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (JULY 4, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS STANDING, WAITING FOR ARRIVAL OF GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE DE MAIZIERE AND HAMBURG INTERIOR MINISTER ANDY GROTE ARRIVING VARIOUS OF DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE POSING WITH POLICE OFFICERS FOR PICTURE VARIOUS OF DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE TALKING TO POLICE OFFICERS DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, SAYING: "The number of demonstrators possibly prepared to use violence is in the area of about 8,000. It may be that not all arrive here, because they do not want to, or because they are not allowed to. And it also might be possible that not all of them will be ready to use violence." DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, SAYING: "Peaceful protest is welcome and allowed in our democracy. Violent protest, however, cannot invoke the basic right of freedom to assemble as written in our constitution, and will be prevented." JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, SAYING: "No demonstrator is allowed to determine whether, when and where heads of states meet in Germany on invitation of the German chancellor." JOURNALIST WRITING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, SAYING: "The security forces here, the entire security concept is based on guaranteeing the safety of the citizen of Hamburg. And it will also secure the safety of peaceful demonstrators and the safety of the participants of this summit." DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE, SAYING: "I think Hamburg's attitude with a mixture of serenity and determination is exactly right. That corresponds with the essence of our liberal democracy. And that will be continued." GROTE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) HAMBURG INTERIOR MINISTER ANDY GROTE, SAYING: "This is an assignment that has never happened in such a dimension, complexity, such intensity of cooperation. The cooperation is excellent. We have gathered here all the police skills that we need to deal with the situation." DE MAIZIERE AND GROTE WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 18th July 2017 14:43
- Keywords: G20 summit Hamburg security police protest de Maiziere
- Location: HAMBURG, GERMANY
- City: HAMBURG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: G20,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016OAXHDZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:German security forces expect some 8,000 violent protesters to converge on the northern city of Hamburg this week where Chancellor Angela Merkel will host leaders of the G20 leading economies, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Tuesday (July 4).
Some 20,000 police officers will secure the July 7-8 event in Germany's second-largest city where anti-capitalist protesters are expected to riot.
The minister said that peaceful protest is welcomed but warned that acts of violence "cannot invoke the basic right of freedom to assemble as written in our constitution, and will be prevented." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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