'Several injured' as police clash with G20 protesters at disputed campsite
Police and G20 protesters clashed on Sunday night in a dispute over a campsite, reportedly leaving several injured with one person arrested ahead of the major international summit in Hamburg.
After a day of protests involving thousands of people in canoes and marching on foot, some protesters set up tents in a park area of the harbour city.
The demonstrators claimed they had received permission from a local administrative court to stay overnight in the area. But police had interpreted the court decision differently, saying they only had permission to protest there, not camp out.
Police went to the camp late Sunday night to evict the demonstrators, confirming that in two instances they had used pepper spray against people due to “acts of resistance”. One person was also arrested.
Police reported that around 600 people were in the camp area, and that they removed 11 tents. Hundreds of officers were deployed to evacuate the area, while protesters threw paint-filled balloons at them.
Protesters claim that several people were injured in the conflict with police, and reacted with outrage over the decision to clear out the camp.
“The Hamburg police obstructed a registered, legally confirmed gathering, and with their behaviour clearly acted as if in a legal black hole,” camp organizers wrote in a statement.
But police later tweeted on Monday that the administrative court had since supported their decision to clear out the campsite.
"No more overnight stays will be tolerated," police wrote on Twitter.
Das VG hat den Eilantrag gegen unsere Auflagen zum Camp #Entenwerder abgelehnt. Es werden weiterhin keine Übernachtungen geduldet.#G20HAM17 pic.twitter.com/5MJl7Shurq
— Polizei Hamburg (@PolizeiHamburg) July 3, 2017
About 30 more protests are scheduled for the week, with the summit set to run on Friday and Saturday. The Group of 20 (G20) meeting of world leaders is in part especially contentious with the arrival of US President Donald Trump in his first official trip to Germany.
SEE ALSO: Securing G20 protests will be ‘biggest police operation in Hamburg's history'
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Police reported that around 600 people were in the camp area, and that they removed 11 tents. Hundreds of officers were deployed to evacuate the area, while protesters threw paint-filled balloons at them.
Protesters claim that several people were injured in the conflict with police, and reacted with outrage over the decision to clear out the camp.
“The Hamburg police obstructed a registered, legally confirmed gathering, and with their behaviour clearly acted as if in a legal black hole,” camp organizers wrote in a statement.
But police later tweeted on Monday that the administrative court had since supported their decision to clear out the campsite.
"No more overnight stays will be tolerated," police wrote on Twitter.
Das VG hat den Eilantrag gegen unsere Auflagen zum Camp #Entenwerder abgelehnt. Es werden weiterhin keine Übernachtungen geduldet.#G20HAM17 pic.twitter.com/5MJl7Shurq
— Polizei Hamburg (@PolizeiHamburg) July 3, 2017
About 30 more protests are scheduled for the week, with the summit set to run on Friday and Saturday. The Group of 20 (G20) meeting of world leaders is in part especially contentious with the arrival of US President Donald Trump in his first official trip to Germany.
SEE ALSO: Securing G20 protests will be ‘biggest police operation in Hamburg's history'
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