Rostock, Germany – Masked demonstrators showered police with grapefruit- sized rocks and beer bottles, then were driven back with water cannons and tear gas during a protest march Saturday against the upcoming Group of Eight summit in Germany.
The clashes left cars burning and tear gas drifting through the harborfront area in the north German port of Rostock. Of the 146 police who were injured, 18 were hurt seriously.
Radicals “are smashing everything in their way to pieces,” said Karsten Wolff, a police spokesman.
Officials said 17 people were arrested.
The officially permitted march preceded a three-day summit beginning Wednesday in the seaside resort of Heiligendamm, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts the leaders of the other G8 nations – Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada and the United States.
The leaders are expected to discuss measures against global warming, the fight against AIDS and poverty in Africa, and the world economy. As in previous years, the summit is drawing protesters of various stripes opposed to globalization, capitalism and the G8 itself.
Most marchers were peaceful, but others pried up paving stones and broke them into chunks before charging police. Officers in helmets and full body armor fell back, then charged the demonstrators.
Five large police trucks with twin water cannons mounted on top blasted rioters. A police car was destroyed, and several parked cars burned, spreading black smoke over the area.
Police spokesman Frank Scheulen estimated the number of violent demonstrators at about 2,000. Police put the size of the demonstration at 25,000, while organizers said it was more than three times larger – 80,000.
