You may have noticed that everywhere you look on the world wide web these days there are photos of Barack Obama and the chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel standing together. Yes, you are right. Something is going on in Germany, and this fuss is all about the G7 summit that Germany hosts this month. The G7 summit is a meeting of international leaders discussing problems regarding industry and economy in general at a global scale. So it is one of the most important and secured events of the year. However, it is also one of the most controversial. While some expect good things to happen after the G7 summit, that will indirectly better their lives, there are other who do not trust the most relevant political figures of our times. That is how Germany has seen these days a series of clashes between police and protesters with the occasion of the international G7 summit.
Most likely, the people protesting against the G7 summit fear that there faiths are being decided at the round table of the world leaders and they feel like useless agents kept alive by their governments in order to be able to work. While you can make the case that they are exaggerating a little, the reaction of the crowds is somehow legitimate, if you were to take into consideration the fact that even the most non plausible conspiracy theories have to start from somewhere, a point that can be found and exploited from reality.
There were thousands of demonstrators who have been protesting against the policies of the most relevant countries in terms of industry in the Bavarian city of Munich. What started as a peaceful march against the way in which the world leaders attending the G7 summit establish the industrial policies of the globe turned rapidly into a clas between the protesters and the police.
The protest reunited people who are against capitalism, globalization and people with interest to the problems of the environment. It was all good until their march was stopped by the police at the entrance to the Elmau Castle Hotel, the place where the G7 summit takes place. At that moment, the protesters started to throw bottles and a fire extinguisher at the officials of the German police.
The authorities response was using their teargas, pepper spray and batons, leading to a dozen of people being injured, both from the police and the protesters.
Image Source: The Hindu