Hamburg.- Activists Protest Rota Flore Eviction, Endure Brutal Attacks from Armed Riot Cops
domingo, diciembre 22nd, 2013Several hundred activists were injured, 120 detained and 16 arrested in Hamburg when armed riot cops attacked 8,000 demonstrators, who, in solidarity with refugees, gathered to defend the Rota Flore, which is under threat of being evicted, after last week the “Esso” social houses were already evicted.
While surveilling demonstrators from the helicopter, between 2,000-3,000 cops, armed with water cannons, teargas, and guns, surrounded the demonstrators and attacked them, unprovoked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Lu1kM3IEinU
Footage clearly proves this as cops are suddenly seen rushing towards the demonstrators and attacking them. Activists say the cops claimed their attack was justified because the “demonstration started too early.” There was a massive use of teargas, cops seemed to mimic the tactics used during the Gezi repression by the Turkish police, and continuously attacked demonstrators with water canons.
Several hundred activists, fighting for refugees’ rights and social housing, were hurt. Picture posted on Facebook page Enough is Enough.
Lots of Autonomous Been came from all over Germany and from abroad, and the demonstrators were joined by fans of FC St. Pauli fans. Demonstrators had to bring a water cannon to defend themselves from the cops.
Today it was the first battle to protect Rote Flora. Picture posted on Facebook page Enough is Enough.
After the cops brutally attacked the demonstration, people were furious and started to build barricades in several neighborhoods, and attacked a police station as well as dozens of banks. Then, running battles with the riot cops began, which spread in the city and lasted until after midnight.
Cops tried to block the roads to stop people escaping from them. Demonstrators, protecting the refugees’ rights, resisted police oppression. People defended themselves from the police attacks by throwing bricks, and some petrol bombs. Cops responded with more water canon attacks. 82 cops were reported wounded, and 15 were taken to hospital. A cop punched a journalist from DPA in the face when he showed his press ID. Hamburg was the center of defending refugees rights and social housing today, but demonstrations took place also in other dozens cities across Germany. The demo today was a first step in a campaign to defend the Rote Flora.
It is the second time in the past six months that cops have blocked a demonstration right as it started. In Frankfurt, 8,000 cops attacked the Blockupy demo to the European Central Bank completely unprovoked. Though it was a tough day for activists, demonstrators found the strength to also laugh at cops, who embarrassed themselves, as seen in this funny and scary at the same time footage.
Keep checking Revolution News and Enough is Enough for a detailed personal account of the happenings in Hamburg.
More shocking pictures taken during the police attacks here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/christian-ditsch/sets/72157638893953033/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/boeseraltermannberlin/sets/72157638891208785/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/rassloff/sets/72157638891456426/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/woerpel/sets/72157638886089484/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/rassloff/11485819316/in/set-72157638891456426 http://www.flickr.com/photos/99145900@N05/9325843925/in/set-72157634721179018
