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Revolutionary May Day 2003 - Berlin
German riot police clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators in Berlin and violence was expected in other European capitals at rallies marking the May Day holiday Thursday.
World Marks May Day, Violence Flares in Berlin
Reuters Thursday, May 1, 2003; 9:39 AM
By Erik Kirschbaum
BERLIN (Reuters) - German riot police clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators in Berlin and violence was expected in other European capitals at rallies marking the May Day holiday Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands of workers and protesters took part in largely peaceful May Day rallies round the world, though scuffles were reported and some demonstrations on the public holiday included criticism of the U.S.-led war on Iraq.
Authorities in London, Berlin and some other capitals were ready for disturbances after past protests turned violent.
Berlin police were out in force, with some 7,500 on city streets braced for battles with anarchists after 27 police officers and an unknown number of assailants and bystanders were injured in three hours of clashes overnight.
"It's quiet right now, but it's possible there will be further violence," said Berlin police spokesman Ralph Gizinski.
The violence erupted without warning toward the end of a peaceful protest by about 4,000 people in the Mauerpark, in the Prenzlauer Berg district where the Berlin Wall stood.
A group of 200 anarchists hurled bottles and rocks and shot fireworks at police, who charged the group, arresting 97 of them. Violence in the area lasted three hours, with street barricades set ablaze and some shop windows smashed.
The German capital has been marred by May Day clashes between anarchists and police every year since 1987. Last year rampaging youths caused extensive damage, setting luxury cars and bus shelters on fire.
Reuters Thursday, May 1, 2003; 9:39 AM
By Erik Kirschbaum
BERLIN (Reuters) - German riot police clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators in Berlin and violence was expected in other European capitals at rallies marking the May Day holiday Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands of workers and protesters took part in largely peaceful May Day rallies round the world, though scuffles were reported and some demonstrations on the public holiday included criticism of the U.S.-led war on Iraq.
Authorities in London, Berlin and some other capitals were ready for disturbances after past protests turned violent.
Berlin police were out in force, with some 7,500 on city streets braced for battles with anarchists after 27 police officers and an unknown number of assailants and bystanders were injured in three hours of clashes overnight.
"It's quiet right now, but it's possible there will be further violence," said Berlin police spokesman Ralph Gizinski.
The violence erupted without warning toward the end of a peaceful protest by about 4,000 people in the Mauerpark, in the Prenzlauer Berg district where the Berlin Wall stood.
A group of 200 anarchists hurled bottles and rocks and shot fireworks at police, who charged the group, arresting 97 of them. Violence in the area lasted three hours, with street barricades set ablaze and some shop windows smashed.
The German capital has been marred by May Day clashes between anarchists and police every year since 1987. Last year rampaging youths caused extensive damage, setting luxury cars and bus shelters on fire.
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Berlin Anarchists Burn Cars as Violence Flares
May 1, 2003
By David Crossland
BERLIN (Reuters) - Left-wing anarchists tipped over several cars in Berlin and set them ablaze on Thursday evening as May Day violence flared up again in the German capital while police struggled to bring the situation under control.
Berlin police tried to prevent a further escalation of the annual Labor Day violence and initially stayed away from acting against demonstrations that turned violent. But authorities later fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who began throwing bottles and stones at helmet-clad riot police in the Kreuzberg district and later began toppling cars and setting them on fire.
"We're trying to get the situation under control," said Berlin police spokesman Peter Scharfenberg.
German television showed a group of anarchists tipping over a car in Kreuzberg and celebrating with raised arms as they jumped on the overturned vehicle, before setting it alight.
A Volkswagen minivan parked nearby was also set on fire, burning brightly. Left-wing demonstrators have in the past occasionally set luxury cars ablaze in the district to protest sharply rising rents and costs in the section of Berlin that was isolated in the shadows of the Berlin Wall.
By late evening thousands of people were milling about the district as a tense calm descended with periodic outbreaks of violence quickly quelled by groups of police deployed on most street corners. Streets were strewn with shards of broken glass.
Police said that while there were a number of small outbursts of violence in Kreuzberg, the situation in many parts of the city remained peaceful.
They said it was too early to say how many people were detained or injured. Scharfenberg said there were "a number of people" detained.
Youths were also seen hurling stones and bottles at police vehicles before being drenched by the powerful truck-mounted water cannon.
The disturbances on Thursday evening followed a night of violence in the early morning hours -- despite the presence of about 7,500 police officers. The violence erupted at the end of a peaceful protest by about 4,000 people just before midnight on Wednesday.
Some 200 anarchists hurled bottles and rocks and set off fireworks at police, who charged the group and arrested 97. Street barricades were set ablaze and shop windows smashed. The rioting lasted until about 3 a.m. on Thursday.
May 1, 2003
By David Crossland
BERLIN (Reuters) - Left-wing anarchists tipped over several cars in Berlin and set them ablaze on Thursday evening as May Day violence flared up again in the German capital while police struggled to bring the situation under control.
Berlin police tried to prevent a further escalation of the annual Labor Day violence and initially stayed away from acting against demonstrations that turned violent. But authorities later fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who began throwing bottles and stones at helmet-clad riot police in the Kreuzberg district and later began toppling cars and setting them on fire.
"We're trying to get the situation under control," said Berlin police spokesman Peter Scharfenberg.
German television showed a group of anarchists tipping over a car in Kreuzberg and celebrating with raised arms as they jumped on the overturned vehicle, before setting it alight.
A Volkswagen minivan parked nearby was also set on fire, burning brightly. Left-wing demonstrators have in the past occasionally set luxury cars ablaze in the district to protest sharply rising rents and costs in the section of Berlin that was isolated in the shadows of the Berlin Wall.
By late evening thousands of people were milling about the district as a tense calm descended with periodic outbreaks of violence quickly quelled by groups of police deployed on most street corners. Streets were strewn with shards of broken glass.
Police said that while there were a number of small outbursts of violence in Kreuzberg, the situation in many parts of the city remained peaceful.
They said it was too early to say how many people were detained or injured. Scharfenberg said there were "a number of people" detained.
Youths were also seen hurling stones and bottles at police vehicles before being drenched by the powerful truck-mounted water cannon.
The disturbances on Thursday evening followed a night of violence in the early morning hours -- despite the presence of about 7,500 police officers. The violence erupted at the end of a peaceful protest by about 4,000 people just before midnight on Wednesday.
Some 200 anarchists hurled bottles and rocks and set off fireworks at police, who charged the group and arrested 97. Street barricades were set ablaze and shop windows smashed. The rioting lasted until about 3 a.m. on Thursday.
the EU Summit in June Salonica in Athens. We promise a "hot" and revolting week...
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