MARCH 18, 2015
Some 350 people have been detained at the Blockupy protest in Frankfurt on the day the European Central Bank headquarters open in the city. 70 police have been injured in clashes. Tear gas was used against protesters, who pelted stones and torched cars.
“Many protesters have been injured as police used water cannons and tear gas,” representatives of Blockupy movement told RIA Novosti. The protest is to go on into the night. According to Deutsche Welle, protesters are now trying to storm the new ECB building.
We detained about 350 persons who were committing crimes and
rioted in #Frankfurt#EZB#18M#18nulldrei#Blockupy
— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March
18, 2015
Water cannons and tear gas were deployed by police after the
demonstrators torched several cars, pelted stones at police and
put tires on fire in the center of the city. “We have registered over 1,100 offenses… Up to 70 police have been injured,” police told RIA.
Not feeling my usual bonhomie with the German police today.
Very much a spray first ask questions later attitude in
#Frankfurt
— Peter Oliver (@PeterGOliver_RT)
March 18, 2015
#police
atacking the #press in
#Frankfurt
where is the #pressfreedom?!
#Blockupy
— Lídia Pedro (@LidiaPedro9) March
18, 2015
A total of 10,000 policemen are ensuring security in the city.
Official representatives of Blockupy describe the current
security measures as unprecedented, and accuse the police of
creating an atmosphere of fear. 
Trash cans have reportedly been set on fire across the city, and more cars torched in the city’s West-end area.
Thousands of people have been expected to come to Frankfurt Wednesday to protest against a crisis situation in Europe they say has been created by the ECB, EU and IMF, and mainly enforced by the German government.
Getting a bit rowdy again. Demonstrators march through police
lines. pic.twitter.com/h4VZMXQ8n5
— Peter Oliver (@PeterGOliver_RT)
March 18, 2015
The ECB's new building is set to open at 11 am local time (10 am
GMT). It is to be “fully operational”, despite the
tensions and the police barricading the building, according to
the bank management. The cost of the new ECB headquarters is reported to be 1.3 billion euros.
Früher Morgen und Blockupy rastet aus “@carlaneuhaus: #Blockupy
Rauch überm Bankenviertel in Frankfurt pic.twitter.com/dWkYHAWRe2”
— Felix Hemmer (@felixhemmer) March
18, 2015
#Frankfurt#18M#Blockupy
- first pyros used 06:27 #Zeil pic.twitter.com/HO2pNdw3qs
— Thomas Occupy (@ThomasOccupy) March
18, 2015
Blockupy is an anti-capitalist alliance of leftist groups, who
gather to attract attention to ECB policies which, they say, have
favored the rich over the poor, the banks over the people, the
creditor class over debtors. They call the current situation
across the EU “the European crisis regime.”
