G8 protest marked by violence
George Bush and Tony Blair will be among G8 leaders at the summit
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Saturday, 02, Jun 2007 07:12
Violence has marred what was supposed to be a peaceful protest ahead of the G8 summit in the German town of Rostock.
Masked protesters have hurled missiles at lines of German riot police and authorities have replied with charges towards groups of demonstrators engaged in violence. Police have also used tear gas to halt certain groups.
The majority of the trouble has occurred on the outskirts of the harbour area and German police are trying to prevent further protesters and anarchist groups reaching the protest route.
Police officials have said that a number of officers have been assaulted and there are reports of injuries among the protesters.
Security has been stepped up in the port city, with up to 100,000 anti-globalisation activists set to descend upon the city this weekend, ahead of next week's nearby G8 summit.
In what is being billed as the country's biggest security operation since the second world war, around 16,000 police officers will be on duty in the lead up to the meeting of the world's eight most powerful industrial countries.
Key global issues such as development aid and climate change will be on the agenda at the G8 meeting, which is taking place between June 6th and 8th in the resort of Heiligendamm.
Some 40 separate protests are planned in Rostock, which lies around 25km (16 miles) away from where the talks will take place under the chairmanship of German chancellor Angela Merkel.
In the city's commercial district shop fronts have been boarded up, while German police have said that they intend to clamp down on potential troublemakers intent on using the planned demonstrations to spark violence.
G8 summits have been subject to heavy security since a protestor was shot by police in 2001 following a meeting in Genoa.
Demonstrators from across the world have already begun filling up makeshift camps on the outskirts of Rostock, where a range of protestors from aid charities to environmental groups will take to the streets to lament the impact of globalisation and attack the failure of G8 leaders to tackle poverty and climate change.
Meanwhile thousands of campaigners are expected to converge on London this afternoon to remind the G8 that the "World Can't Wait" for the group to fulfil its commitment to tackle poverty in developing countries.
Pop artists including Midge Ure and Eurythmics star Annie Lennox will join demonstrators on the banks of the Thames to make "three minutes of noise" in a bid to send a "loud" message to G8 leaders.
A number of aid groups are supporting the noisy protest, which will be backed by African drummers and a gospel choir and which aims to press prime minister Tony Blair to persuade his G8 colleagues to see through pledges they made to boost levels of development aid at their 2005 summit in Scotland.
"There's lots of talk about Tony Blair's legacy - and this summit offers a golden opportunity for him to really leave a mark," said Kumi Naidoo from the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.