German security forces turn the meeting place into a fortress
The large protest demonstration in Munich against the G7 summit of heads of state and government starting this Sunday in Schloss Elmau, in the Bavarian Alps, circulated through the streets of the Bavarian capital smaller than expected and with a visibly reduced turnout, much to the surprise even of the security forces, who have deployed more than 3,000 riot police to control it. About 4,000 people gathered for the 20,000 announced participants, according to police figures, while the organizers counted about 6,000. Far fewer people than at the meeting seven years ago, when the G7 summit was held in the same place. Even the dreaded ‘black bloc’, as the violent far-left activists are called, has been reduced to the bare minimum. More than 3,000 were expected and only about 150 were counted.
There was some skirmish with the police when the searches found pyrotechnic material, banners with anti-constitution texts or people trying to march in masks, but they got no further than mere anecdotes. The G7 countries must “send a clear and determined message against climate change, to end the destruction of nature, but also against hunger, poverty and inequality,” the organizers of the protests said in a joint statement. The participants carried banners and large posters against rearmament and deforestation, against war and crisis, against global warming and inflation, against the invasion of Ukraine, but also against capitalism or for an independent Kurdistan.
The organization of the demonstration had previously called for nonviolence and the approach of their demands by peaceful means. The German Interior Minister, Social Democrat Nancy Faeser, had also asked in the early morning hours whether the event could take place peacefully. “I hope all protesters protest peacefully, don’t hurt anyone or destroy cars or shops,” the minister said in statements to the T-online portal, expressing concern about possible outbreaks of violence by members. of the so-called “black block”.
“Coronavirus, Climate, War – Taxing the Rich and Overcoming Poverty,” read a large poster carried in their hands by big heads with the faces of the G7 leaders. Left-wing groups claimed in their written messages “Fight the G7 – imperialism meets here.” A total of 15 environmental, anti-globalist and humanitarian groups, from Greenpeace to WWF, through Bread for the World of Misereor, had called to join the march with four central themes: giving up fossil fuels, preserving the diversity of fauna and flora, social justice across the planet and the fight against hunger. The demonstration started its march through the center of the Bavarian capital and ended in the meadows where the Oktoberfest, the traditional beer festival, is usually held.
The G7 summit, as it was seven years ago, will be held in the luxurious hotel in Elmau, now converted into a fortress, due to the security guarantees offered by the small valley in which it is located, about 10 kilometers from the source- known ski area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. More than 18,000 soldiers, mainly police officers, but also special army troops such as mountain hunters, are deployed in the area to completely isolate the statesmen. To get to the meeting place, you have to pass twenty police checkpoints.
The police filters allow residents, supply companies or tourists with reservations to enter the area, but they prevent anyone who does not come across any of these properties from continuing on their way. The international press center has been set up in Garmisch, where a group of 700 protesters will also be allowed to set up camp for the duration of the summit, although they will be closely monitored. The 90-kilometer highway connecting Garmisch to Munich and its airport, over which most delegations will travel, has become a hive of police cars and motorcycles, stopping and checking every suspicious vehicle.
Source: La Verdad
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