Hinter Bollhagen, Germany – A motley band of more than 800 protesters – some sporting fluorescent wigs and clown noses – scampered through woods and across fields to evade police patrols Wednesday and reach the barbed-wire fence sealing off the Group of Eight summit.
Protest organizers claimed victory for getting as far as the barrier, despite being doused by water cannons, struck with tear gas and tackled as they blocked several roads – including the route from the airport as world leaders flew in for the summit.
“We have successfully taken over all roads leading to Heiligendamm,” said Christoph Kleine of the Block G8 group. “We are very happy with that.”
About 150 members of a group called the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army blocked one of two road entrances to the summit site for several hours near the town of Hinter Bollhagen, about 2 miles away.
Dozens of police officers in riot gear moved the protesters out of the way, then marched them miles along a dirt road back to Kuehlungsborn. The protesters playfully waved at helicopters shuttling dignitaries into the summit site.
“The Clown Army – we kicked!” said one of the group’s leaders, a Welshman carrying a frilly white umbrella who identified himself only as “Sgt. Sideshow Bob.”
The demonstration began with some 3,000 protesters setting out from an encampment on a winding march of several hours, during which they scattered to evade police. By late afternoon, some 800 of them had reached the fence, while 10,000 others had gathered at other areas where demonstrations had been banned, police said.
At one section of the fence, protesters chanted “Peace” and “Free G8! Free G8!” while riot police with helmets and transparent shields massed inside. Some then pelted police with stones before authorities turned the water cannons on them, police spokesman Manfred Luetjann said.
More than 150 people were detained, and at least eight police officers suffered minor injuries, according to police.
The protests were significantly milder than Saturday’s rally in nearby Rostock, when hundreds of radicals with black hoods and bandannas covering their faces hurled stones and bottles as they charged police. Some 400 officers were hurt.
Germany is spending $124 million on the three-day summit that opened Wednesday night, and has deployed 16,000 police officers, armored personnel carriers, helicopters, trucks topped with water cannons and other support vehicles.
