"These people are not standing for broad population segments. We always have people who behave in anti-social ways, but public appreciation for what they do will go down substantially once the public understands that we are interested in promoting broad-based, resilient growth, that we are interested in empowering people, helping them to help themselves and that we are interested in sustainability. Once that’s understood, I believe there will be a broad-based revolt against the violence that we have seen," Snower, who is also a president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, said on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
He argued that G20 protesters were partly criminals and partly younger people entertaining themselves.
"I think most of the people on the streets in Hamburg who are doing damage to cars and other property have not conducted a thorough cost-benefit analysis of the pros and cons of multilateralism. They are partly criminal elements and partly young people who want to have a good time," Snower added.
The ongoing anti-G20 protests in Hamburg, which hosts the summit, have already resulted in injuries to at least 196 police officers. A total of 70 protesters were detained, according to local police. Security at the summit is being provided by a total of 20,000 policemen from all over the country, and the police have reportedly requested additional support from other German federal states as more protests are expected on Saturday.
