The protesters are carrying banners "Please, stop TTIP/CETA" and "We stand for fair world trade" among others, according to online translation by RT broadcaster. One of the NGOs organizing the protest, Mehr Demokratie, in a statement estimates the number of rally's participants at some 90,000 people.
Anti #ttipdemo starts in Hannover. Main concern: it could lower standards that Germans have long fought for pic.twitter.com/5kRdG2mZGM
— Thomas Sparrow (@Thomas_Sparrow) 23 апреля 2016 г.
Both trade pacts sparked controversy and concern in the European Union over the extra secrecy surrounding the negotiations, and the power they would give to international corporations at the expense of small and medium-sized businesses.
Earlier in the day, both Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel separately supported the TTIP conclusion expected to be discussed during the US president's upcoming Germany visit.
