Anti-globalization protesters clashed violently Friday with police in Hamburg, Germany, where leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies gathered, causing injuries to nearly 200 police officers and dozens of activists.
Police said they had brought more than 900 additional officers from across the country to help control the situation, bringing the total number of police in the city to more than 20,000.
Officers patrolled dozens of protest marches, and while most demonstrators were peaceful, others set cars on fire, threw bottles at police and tried to enter the convention center where leaders were meeting.
Some protesters threw gasoline bombs, lit fires in the streets and looted businesses.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the protests were “unacceptable.”
“I have every understanding for peaceful demonstrations, but violent demonstrations put human lives in danger,” she said.
Protesters detained
More than 70 protesters were detained. Police used water cannons to push back protesters, including outside a closed metro station where protesters bent iron gates to force their way inside.
Violent protesters often tried to enter closed-off areas surrounding the summit venues.
A group of 22 swimmers from Greenpeace tried to reach a concert hall on the Elbe River where world leaders gathered in the evening to listen to Beethoven. They were intercepted by marine divers.
Greenpeace boats also blasted music outside the concert hall in an attempt to disrupt the concert and their dinner meetings.
First lady trapped in hotel
Anti-globalization protesters trapped U.S. first lady Melania Trump in her hotel, keeping her from joining the spouses of the other world leaders on a tour of Hamburg harbor.
Officials said most of the injured police were not badly hurt, but some were taken to hospitals, including an officer who was injured when a firework went off in front of him. Fire officials said at least 60 protesters were taken to hospitals, including 11 who fell off a 4-meter wall after fleeing from police.
Police said the majority of the estimated 100,000 demonstrators were peaceful, while around 1,000 militant protesters caused much of the damage.
The protests were expected to continue through Saturday when the summit ends.
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