Several opposition, grass-roots and anti-globalist movements, both local Bavarian and national, mostly left and green, have united forces to organize today's rally on the run up to the June 7-8 G7 Summit in nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the renowned Bavarian Ski resort 50 miles (80 km) south of Munich.
Protesters met at around 12:00 in Karlsplatz, where today's demo began. They then marched through the city center and reached scenographic Odeonsplatz, Munich's historical meeting point for political rallies of all kinds.
Already in Karlsplatz they were joined by anti-Monsanto campaigners, some of them local farmers who reached the city center with their tractors.
In Odeonplatz protesters carrying placards, reading "Peace with Russia" and "Stop NATO wars" could be seen. A group of Novorossiya supporters were also present, holding similar signs.
Asked what they thought about Russia's absence from yet another G7 summit, Günter, 56, a protester distributing leaflets, said:
"It's all part and parcel of what we are fighting against."
Other protesters were not caught by surprise either and simply answered: "Russia's absence? Nicht gut".
From the stage, the organizers thundered against the corporate takeover of mainstream politics by big business, especially in agriculture, a very sensitive issue for a region like Bavaria, which still cherishes its rural traditions, and reacts with horror to the idea of GM seeds reaching the land.
"We are not against Americans, we are against their politics, and we know, plenty of people in the US oppose this too, and are victims, of these very politics as well."
But the guest of honor was a South American music band, which performed on the stage in front of the protesters, before organizers warned Merkel and her SPD partner Gabriel "to not get it wrong this time" — an obvious reference to the TTIP.
"We are not against regulations, Of course we need regulation, and we need international trade. We are against these rules which harm people and small land owners worldwide."
More demos are planned there for the weekend — all the way to Monday, June 8.
The final German demo of this is planned for October 10 in Berlin, though another one should take place, December 2015, in Paris.
