Protestors arrested after raids against German activists
Thousands of people staged spontaneous demonstrations in major German cities, police said today, after nationwide raids against anti-globalization activists suspected of plotting to disrupt next month’s Group of Eight summit.
Hamburg police detained eight demonstrators who threw stones and bottles at officers securing the protests, staged outside the offices of a main activist group that had been raided. Another four demonstrators were arrested in Berlin, although protests there remained peaceful.
Supporters of Germany’s anti-globalization activists called the demonstrations hours after hundreds of officers, acting on a warrant from federal prosecutors, searched 40 offices and apartments used by left-wing protesters in Berlin, Hamburg and elsewhere.
Prosecutors said they were investigating more than 18 people suspected of organising what they called a terrorist group that planned to carry out firebombings and other violent attacks aimed at hindering or stopping the world leaders from holding the June 6-8 summit in the northern resort town of Heiligendamm.
