Protests at G20 summit may lead to violence, warn police

THOUSANDS of anti-capitalist protesters are planning to disrupt this week’s G20 summit in Hamburg, the German interior minister has warned.

Thomas de Maiziere said security forces expect around 8,000 potentially violent protesters to converge on the city ahead of Friday’s summit, at which Angela Merkel will host world leaders including Theresa May, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Police yesterday put on display an arsenal of more than 100 home-made weapons seized in recent weeks. They included fire extinguishers adapted to work as flame-throwers, ingredients for Molotov cocktails, slingshots filled with ball bearings and baseball bats.

“We can assume this is only a small fraction of what is still hidden in cellars and garages around Hamburg,” Jan Hieber, the head of the city’s CID said.

“Movements have been observed by the autonomous scene in the direction of Hamburg,” Ralf Martin Meyer, the police chief said. “This is not a question of sit-ins, but of major attacks.”

Authorities gave demonstrators until yesterday to dismantle tents set up in designated “protest camps”. The city government has ordered that no one will be allowed to sleep overnight in the camps. Protesters have vowed to defy the order, and there were scuffles on Sunday night when police using pepper spray broke up one camp.

The city government has warned that protesters want to occupy parts of the city centre and prevent leaders from reaching the summit venue.

“The militant far-left are planning to organise the biggest black bloc ever,” Andy Grote, interior minister for the Hamburg government said.

“Black bloc” protesters wear masks to conceal their identity and protect themselves against pepper spray. They are known to employ violent tactics, fighting running battles with police and damaging private property.