GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in southern German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Saturday to protest the upcoming summit of the G7 group of world’s wealthiest nations.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will host the summit on June 7-8, at the luxury hotel Schloss Elmau near the town, to discuss global economic and political issues together with U.S. President Barack Obama and leaders of other G7 nations Britain, Canada, France, Italy and Japan.
Anti-war activists and environmentalists who oppose the policies of the G7 states rallied amid massive police presence on Saturday, some 15 kilometers from the Schloss Elmau.
Around seven thousand demonstrators from various cities across Germany and Europe joined the rally in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, according to the organizers. Protestors shouted anti-G7 and anti-capitalist slogans behind a banner, that read: “Fight G7: Fight together against capitalism, racism and war!”
"Long live international solidarity!", "Stop G7", they chanted.
Skirmishes between police and protestors occurred during the planned march in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen city center. Police used pepper spray and arrested a number of demonstrators. Organizers accused police for provoking protestors.
A spokeswoman for the Munich police told Anadolu Agency that information on the exact number of arrests and injured protestors was not readily available, and would be communicated to the press later in the day.
German authorities have deployed around 25 thousand police in and around Garmisch-Partenkirchen, ahead of the two-day G7 summit.
Police set up high security zone in the four square kilometers surrounding the Schloss Elmau and also imposed strict controls for those traveling to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“StopG7Elmau” initiative, which organized the rally on Saturday, has announced that it will continue demonstrations as G7 leaders meet at the Schloss Elmau on Sunday and Monday.
StopG7Elmau is a platform bringing together anti-capitalist groups, anti-war activists, globalization opponents and environmentalists.
The protestors are opposing the neo-liberal policies of the G7 states and demanding suspension of talks for a free trade agreement between the U.S and the EU. They are also calling on world’s wealthiest nations to change their restrictive asylum and refugee policies and accept more refugees.
