04:57Germany: Trial of five defendants accused of involvement in Hamburg G20 riots kicks off
The trial of five defendants accused of being involved in a violent protest in the Rondenbarg area of Hamburg, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in 2017, started at the Hamburg Higher District Court on Thursday.
Being at that time minors, the five defendants now aged between 19 and 21 appeared in front of a juvenile criminal division of the regional court.
They are facing accusations of a serious breach of the peace along with serious assaults on law enforcement officers and personal injury attempts. Other charges include the formation of armed groups and carrying out property damage.
On Thursday morning, shortly before the court hearing, around 40 people gathered in front of the courthouse for a solidarity rally to show support for the activists who are on trial.
Another protest instigated by a left-wing movement is expected in Hamburg, near the main train station, on Saturday.
The defendants are believed to have participated in the march of 150- 200 dressed in black G20 opponents on July 7, 2017, from the Altona Volkspark to Hamburg downtown.
According to the prosecution, stones were thrown at officers from the crowd as police units stopped the rally in Rondenbarg street.
Violence erupted over three nights in July 2017, as a number of buildings got damaged, stores looted and vehicles set ablaze. Dozens of police officers were injured in scuffles with groups of anti-G20 demonstrators.
Hamburg authorities estimated the damage by the mass protests to be worth €12 million ($14.5 million). More than 400 people were arrested during the riots on the sidelines of the summit.
04:57The trial of five defendants accused of being involved in a violent protest in the Rondenbarg area of Hamburg, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in 2017, started at the Hamburg Higher District Court on Thursday.
Being at that time minors, the five defendants now aged between 19 and 21 appeared in front of a juvenile criminal division of the regional court.
They are facing accusations of a serious breach of the peace along with serious assaults on law enforcement officers and personal injury attempts. Other charges include the formation of armed groups and carrying out property damage.
On Thursday morning, shortly before the court hearing, around 40 people gathered in front of the courthouse for a solidarity rally to show support for the activists who are on trial.
Another protest instigated by a left-wing movement is expected in Hamburg, near the main train station, on Saturday.
The defendants are believed to have participated in the march of 150- 200 dressed in black G20 opponents on July 7, 2017, from the Altona Volkspark to Hamburg downtown.
According to the prosecution, stones were thrown at officers from the crowd as police units stopped the rally in Rondenbarg street.
Violence erupted over three nights in July 2017, as a number of buildings got damaged, stores looted and vehicles set ablaze. Dozens of police officers were injured in scuffles with groups of anti-G20 demonstrators.
Hamburg authorities estimated the damage by the mass protests to be worth €12 million ($14.5 million). More than 400 people were arrested during the riots on the sidelines of the summit.