MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Some 80 police officers have been exposed to unidentified irritant gases during clashes with anti-austerity protesters at the opening of the new European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, the police chief said Wednesday.
"Activists who wore NBC masks have released corrosive liquids or irritant gases at Danziger Platz," Police Commissioner Gerhard Bereswill told the local FFH broadcaster, adding that some 80 officers were injured.
Several people taking part in the mass anti-austerity protest were injured when police used water cannons, the spokeswoman for the Blockupy movement confirmed to RIA Novosti Wednesday.
"There are several injured among us," Hannah Eberle said, adding that the police used water cannons and tear gas grenades against demonstrators.
Germany — Severe rioting in Frankfurt, police set up roadblocks, use water cannons on day of ECB HQ opening pic.twitter.com/ey9XYSbRcg
— Gregor Peter (@L0gg0l) 18 Март 2015
#Frankfurt #18M #Blockupy — 07: 47 westside Sonnemannstraße pic.twitter.com/qLjIxphPLZ
— Thomas Occupy (@ThomasOccupy) 18 Март 2015
Some 88 police officers have been injured in clashes with anti-Austerity Blockupy protesters in Frankfurt, press officer of Frankfurt police department confirmed to Sputnik Wednesday.
Activists protesting the austerity policies of the European Central Bank (ECB) demand that Frankfurt police release protesters detained earlier, Blockupy activist group said on its Twitter account on Wednesday.
Blockupy is a left-wing political group protesting EU austerity policies, particularly those imposed recently on Greece. The protesters disrupted the opening of the new $1 billion ECB office headquarters in the city.
According to the Blockupy’s Twitter, activists hung a banner reading “Capitalism kills” in front of the ECB.
The new $1.4 billion ECB building was to be officially opened Wednesday morning although it has been in use for several months now.
According to the movement, at least 10,000 people from all over Germany came to Frankfurt for the demonstration. The protesters burned police cars and trash bins. They also blocked the bridge over the river Main and a number of streets, causing traffic jams.
