Heiligendamm, Germany - Thousands of demonstrators
determined to conduct a sit-down protest at the G8 summit evaded a
police road block and streamed towards the summit venue Wednesday.
Only 50 police were posted near a protest camp at Reddelich, a
village close to the summit press centre in Bad Doberan. The
protesters ran through woods.
On a road at the other side of the woods, they hurled branches of
trees onto the tarmac to briefly obstruct police vehicles and enable
a further advance. Ten police helicopters observed the cat-and-mouse
game from above.
Police had earlier warned the public in Germany to expect delays
on roads near the Heiligendamm G8 summit because of sit-down
protests.
Ulf Erler, a spokesman for the summit police unit code-named
Kavala, said on ZDF television 30 demonstrations were planned for
Wednesday in the Baltic coast area.
Police have coordinated in advance with the protesters. Under a
policing approach known as de-escalation, the police are expected to
tolerate crowds holding up traffic briefly.
Erler appealed to the German public to put up with any delays
caused by sit-down protesters. This was implicit in the de-escalation
strategy, he said.
Peaceful protesters, who have condemned rioting and attacks on
police lines, say they want to disrupt the summit but will only break
the law to the extent of obstructing arrivals by the mass of their
bodies.
The sit-ins are being led by a faction in the broad protest
movement which considers the G8 as evil and wants to stop the summit,
but disagrees with the violent tactics of the most radical faction,
known as the Black Block.
Civic groups which accept the G8 meeting but want to persuade
western leaders to offer more aid to Africa, have organized rallies
which do not disrupt and are attending an 'Alternative Summit' in
Rostock.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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